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Thursday, 26 February 2009 15:40 |
Posted February, 27, 2009
I was interviewed recently by a local university newspaper journalist. He asked me if I had any favorite toys that I recall from childhood. Not surprisingly I do - many of them. I remember the Texaco tanker truck and fire helmet that my dad bought me from the gas station. Like nearly every little boy, I ran around pretending to be, and dreaming of being a fireman. Somewhere along the way I must have forgotten that dream. Now my son tells me almost every day that he is disappointed that I am a toy designer and not a Chicago Fireman.
I have always loved those cars with the moving eyes that can only be bought at Chevron stations. It occurs to me that there are a lot of gas stations in the world. Perhaps toy companies should be creating toys that will sell through these outlets, remembering that Cranium got its start in a coffee shop. Back when I was a kid, grocery stores also sold a lot of toys, big toys, gigantic toys, way up on high shelves. I loved just going to the grocery store to look at them. Why, oh why don’t we sell toys in grocery stores any more? Must Walmart be the only game in town?
When not playing baseball or football, or riding our bikes all over town, I spent years playing in the dirt with large trucks, and small matchbox vehicles that my mother would buy when she was visiting family in Canada. Construction dominated my town as a kid, as the enormous Robert Moses hydroelectric power plant project probably lasted a decade or more, and my play reflected the world around me.
I also loved Remco’s giant Tiger Tank, and spent hours building with blocks and little green army men, firing on them, and running them over with glee. I remember wanting and wanting Ideal’s Yankee Doodle Dandy Rocket launch toy, and what a crushing diappointment it was when I did get it for Christmas. It was a terrible toy, no fun at all. Big, expensive, motorized, and boring after a few launches. I do not want to be associated in any way with bringing such a terrible product to market. We are dedicated to making great toys.
More than anything in the world I wanted a vibration football game, and not getting it, I sulked all Christmas day. I am still embarrassed when I recall how I behaved. It is not easy having kids.
As I grew too old for toys, I would buy toys for my younger brother, for his birthdays and Christmas - Motoriffic, Hot Wheels, and others. I'm not sure if he played with them, but I know I did. Later I graduated to HO trains, and HO slotcars. Playing with toys and games alone and with friends was so gosh darn much fun. Guess toys were in my blood from the beginning. Buy toys, it is a great investment in fun.
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Bruce Lund, Founder
Lund and Company Invention, L.L.C.
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