Online retailers Jade’s ToyBox and ZABA are opening a holiday pop-up store in New York City. A portion of the sales from the products––which include eco-friendly toys, clothes, and family activities––will be donated to children’s charities, such as DKMS Americas, a charity who recruits bone marrow donors for leukemia patients.
Dollar General has announced that almost 200 of its toys will be on sale for $5 or less and 75 toys will be priced at $1 or less. The retailer’s toy selection includes Matchbox and Hot Wheel Die Cast cars for $1 or less, Littlest Pet shop figures for $5 or less, and Toy Story Activity Tables for $25 for less.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that J.J. Abrams, the Star Trek director, is in discussions to produce a movie based on the Micronauts, The Japanese toys were recently acquired by Hasbro. The newspaper also reports that the upcoming Hasbro-Discovery joint channel will premiere a TV show based on the Big Wheel.
Other products from Hasbro that are being developed as movies include Stretch Armstrong, Candyland, Monopoly, Battleship, Ouija, and Risk.
Read the WSJ‘s full article on toys and movies here.
Target Corp., Toys “R” Us, Inc., and Kmart have agreed to pay $454,000 in penalties to settle a lead claim. The three retailers, along with other manufacturers, were sued in November 2007 after they sold or made toys with excessive amounts of lead, which violated federal toy safety standards.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Target will pay $210,000, Toys “R” Us will pay $175,000, and Kmart will pay $69,000.
A study by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) states that the U.S. market for juvenile products made approximately $2.7 billion in manufacturer sales in 2008. According to the report, more than 75 percent of sales were made through mass merchandisers, discounters and specialists. Independent juvenile accounted for 16 percent of online dollar sales in 2008. The report also states that in 2008, 56 percent of total gross shipment from juvenile product manufacturers were estimated to be green and eco-friendly, compared to 41 percent in 2007.
Discovery Bay Games has been granted the rights to manufacture and market Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey products including board games, non-electronic card games, and jigsaw puzzles. “The greatest show on earth” also expanded Rasta Imposta’s Ringling Bros. licensed-products to include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey makeup and makeup kits.
The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester has announced its 2009 inductees into the National Toy Hall of Fame: the ball, the Big Wheel tricycle, and the Game Boy.
Other nominees for this year’s National Toy Hall of Fame were Cabbage Patch Kids, the Game of Life, Hot Wheels, the paper airplane, playing cards, Rubik’s Cube, sidewalk chalk, the toy tea set, and Transformers.
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Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired movie rights to the board game Risk from Hasbro. Brian Goldner, Hasbro’s CEO, and executive Bennett Schneir will produce the action/military film with Overbrook Entertainment. According to Variety, the deal with Sony Pictures allows Hasbro to produce two large-scale films.
Eco Child’s Play and Goddard Systems, Inc. have announced its “2009 Hottest Eco-Friendly Toys under $30” list.
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