Toy collecting is a family affair

By George Howe

CORRESPONDENT

    Walk through the doors of Aaron’s toy shop and be transported back in time to the 1980s, possibly your childhood or that of your children that grew up in that era. Located at 423 Main Street in the heart of downtown Pecatonica, Aaron’s 80’s Toys and Collectibles shop has been open since April of this year.

    Proprietor Aaron Owens first got bitten by the toy bug as a young kid, thanks to his parents buying him superheroes and action figures, for starters. “I always had an interest with these kinds of toys growing up, especially the small G.I. Joe figures and Transformers that they still make today,” he said. “They are my favorites.”

    If you are looking for a particular toy, chances are it’s on one of many shelves that encompass the store. Treasures like the aforementioned G.I. Joes and Transformers, along with Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, M.A.S.K., Ghostbusters, Marvel and DC is just a small sampling of what’s available. “A lot of dads will come in with a son or daughter and say that ‘I had that as a kid,’ which is fun to watch their eyes light up too,” added Owens.

    There are toys aimed at girls also, thanks to Owen’s wife, Jessica, and two pre-teen daughters Sophie and Claire, that wanted girls represented. “We have My Little Pony, She-Ra from Masters of the Universe, and a few more items,” he said. Collecting is a family affair when Sophie and Claire come into the store after school to help sort and price things. “It’s a lot of fun to have the shop and see the people in our area come in and enjoy looking around,” said Claire. “I enjoy helping Dad and just spending time together,” Sophie added. Owens credits his wife for the organized look of things. “She is the one that makes everything in the store look really good – which is cool and appreciated,” he said.

    Owens is a third-grade teacher in Rockford, making the store hours somewhat limited for now, but with the help once again of Jessica, they set up a display of wares at toy shows over the summer often and do a lot of business online. Owens has a page with a loyal following on Facebook, search ‘Aaron’s 80’s Toys and Collectibles’ and it will come right up, and it has been a good resource for business. “It’s a tight-knit community and we’ve met a lot of good people,” he said. “I buy, sell, and trade toys with people from all over – which has been fun. It’s nice to be able to post pictures of different collectables, letting prospective customers see what we have from the comfort of their computer.”

    Those unfamiliar with how the collectible toy hobby works might ask: how do you put a value on a toy? “Some of the factors that go into pricing are how rare is it, or what’s the current condition,” Owens explained. “Also what I bought it for, along with what is a fair and realistic price that I can ask. Fellow collectors are knowledgeable.”

    According to Owens, the local businesses and residents have been supportive, and the word of mouth has been helpful too. Owens’ ultimate goal is to someday make this fun hobby a full-time venture. “I would love to eventually be able to make this my primary source of income and have regular store hours,” he expressed. “For now, we can set up an appointment with a simple phone call, as we aim to please as much as we can.” The store phone number is 815-505-3554.