Get ready to kick off the holiday season with a celebration of independent toy stores.
The Toy Book and The Pop Insider can exclusively reveal that on Black Friday, The Nacelle Co. — the studio behind The Toys That Made Us (Netflix), Behind The Attraction (Disney+), and Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek (History) — will unwrap the fifth season of its acclaimed series, A Toy Store Near You on Amazon Prime Video. The news of the new season is being revealed to a live audience this morning during a panel at New York Comic Con (NYCC).
What started as a reaction to how businesses were pivoting in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic has since become a celebration of small businesses and the passion of the toy community as a whole. Season 5 is directed by Nacelle Co. Founder and CEO Brian Volk-Weiss (Vice’s Icons Unearthed: Star Wars & The Simpsons, The Movies That Made Us) and shines the spotlight on five stores that specialize largely in vintage and collectible toys.
“This show is an ode to the incredible, hardworking individuals worldwide that keep the toy industry alive and well. A show like this doesn’t exist without them!” Volk-Weiss says.
A TOY STORE NEAR YOU SEASON 5 INCLUDES:
- Earth to Kentucky | Covington, Kentucky
- Empire Toys | Keller, Texas
- Tardy’s Collector’s Corner | Grand Rapids, Michigan
- The Imperial Castle Toy Shop | Pawling, New York
- House of Plastik | Cincinnati, Ohio
A Toy Store Near You is sponsored by eBay, Vrbo, Death Wish Coffee, Super7, and The Tribeca Film Festival. The first four seasons are streaming now on Amazon Prime Video and Vimeo.
Over the past few years, The Nacelle Co. has branched out as a diversified media company. Known for its comedy specials and TV series, The Nacelle Co. now produces podcasts, is involved in publishing, and has been building a robust portfolio of licensed brands to develop across its growing toy division led by industry vet David Vonner.
Earlier this year, the company revealed its Legends of Laughter action figure line, featuring Joan Rivers, Bill Hicks, and Lenny Bruce, and is now shipping the first figures from its reimagined version of Ideal Toys’ Robo Force, featuring updated versions of the 1980s’ Maxx Steele and Wrecker. Additionally, the company is working on a relaunch of Revell’s Power Lords and is currently soliciting retailer orders for two new kid-focused brands, Garden Surprise and Big Bad Battle Caps.
The company is also relaunching the Sectaurs brand and revealed plans for a second wave of action figures based on the former Coleco property this morning.
At Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) this summer, Nacelle Co. founder and CEO Brian Volk-Weiss spoke with our sister publication, The Pop Insider, regarding the company’s entry into the competitive toy industry.