Inside The Toy Chest

As a little girl, I loved nothing more than to spend hours at a time playing with Barbies. I had dozens and dozens of dolls, including all of the holiday collectibles. My mom would always tell me, ‘Keep them in the box, they could be worth something someday.’ All of my special collector Barbies are still in the box, still in mint condition, but I would never sell them.

Many toy collectors are those who have grown up loving toys so much, they want to treasure them and the memories they bring forever. Alex Kuvisch is the owner of Fantastic Toyage, located at 5288 Merrick Rd., in Massapequa, and he believes that classic and vintage toys hold the charm of the past, and that’s why there will always be something to keep on a shelf.

“It’s like any other commodity known as supply and demand,” said Kuvisch of what makes an item a collectible. “It’s all about limited edition and when things get popular, they don’t become unique anymore and it takes the collectability away.”

The collectible market is a nice market to be in, because unlike stocks and bonds, collectors get to enjoy their toys and memorabilia on display. Kuvisch has been the owner of Fantastic Toyage for the past 15 years, and he said that in order to be serious about collecting, one must be truly passionate about it.

“We try to recapture our childhood when we gravitate towards collectibles. I love it and it keeps me young,” said Kuvisch, who deals with companies all over the world and tries to bring in unusual items to his shop.

According to Kuvisch, the ’60s was the height of America in terms of toys, and the baby boomer generation had the best to choose from. When the 1990s rolled around, a lot of toys went into mass production, making their rarity obsolete.

“I sell pop culture that is current today and that was nostalgic for others,” said Kuvisch. “We have everything from statues to scale figures down to your regular action figures, and we’re known as the Star Wars headquarters of Long Island.”

Since it is such a global collection, one that Kuvisch is most passionate about, he believes that Star Wars memorabilia will be collectible for years to come.

Fantastic Toyage sees customers from the ages of 6 to 76, and he has items in his store from the 1920s to present day collectibles.

Toys Of The Times

Toys have changed over the years, but they still bring the same joy to children and foster the creative imagination. Check out what toys were popular from the ’60s to the ’90s.