The Toy Box
Classic toys, games,
and puzzles your
children
will never forget.
Tired of mass-market toy stores, where bright
lights and boxes piled in row after row leave little to the
imagination? There is a place where toys come to life in cozy,
imaginatively decorated rooms, and the simple joys of childhood are
evident in every corner. The Toy Box, located just off the square in
Ligonier, PA, occupies 6 rooms of a Civil War era building. As you
approach the store, you may see hopscotch squares freshly chalked on
the sidewalk, giving warning that you are entering a zone where
old-fashioned play is alive and well.
Here tin drums, sock monkeys, and push puppets share quarters with
nostalgic favorites such as Jacob's ladder, metal jacks, and wooden
Yo Yos. The rooms themselves are intimate, comfortable spaces, with
new treasures on every shelf or waiting discovery around the corner.
In a one room, the Indoor Forest, cuddly stuffed lions and a
menagerie of other fearsomely cute beasts (frogs, turtles, raccoons,
bears, and more) live happily under a butterfly-filled sky.
The Toy Box has been the passion of Cathy and Jim Crawford since
1987, and it has been growing in popularity ever since. After
completing her Bachelor's Degree at the University of Pittsburgh,
and with two young sons still at home, Cathy decided to create a
fantasy world for children out of an 1800s Victorian house in the
picturesque mountain community of Ligonier. To complete her mission,
she soon enlisted the help of her husband, two sons, and an Italian
exchange student! The six rooms of the house became:
- The Indoor Forest: puppets, large plush,
and wind chimes.
- Train Room: Brio, Thomas, and Maple
Landmark.
- Doll Room: Middleton & Madame Alexander.
- The Nursery: Preschool items from Bio,
Lamaze, Holgate, Tiny Love, and Schylling.
- The Game Room: Gamewright, Binary Arts,
and Great American Trading.
- The Play Room: Rokenbok and Robotix.
- Closets became caves and a train board
covers the old bathtub.
People from all over the world have come to
see The Toy Box, with regular visitors from the Washington DC,
Maryland, and Cleveland areas. Once having visited The Toy Box, the
friendly atmosphere and remarkable selection keep people coming back
again and again.
"Don't be fooled by our size," Jim Crawford explained, "we have an
extensive selection of quality toys, many of them retro, or
nostalgic in nature. Classic toys. And if you don't see it, ask.
We'll try to find it for you." In fact, this small store has a big
presence on the Internet. The Toy Box boasts loyal customers as far
away as California, Texas, and even England! "Our largest seller
over the Internet is Red Farm Studio's large format coloring book.
Each book has only six scenes, but invalids and shut-ins will paint
them or use water markers to turn out beautiful, salable items." The
Toy Box website can be found at
www.toyboxligonier.com.
A distinctive store in the picturesque town of Ligonier, The Toy Box
is well worth the trip. Bring your kids, or the kid in your own
heart. This fantasy toy store has something to please the child in
all of us.
Come visit us during
Fort Ligonier Days
October 13, 14, and 15 in 2006
For more information, call
Cathy or Jim at 724-238-6233,
or visit the website at
ww.toyboxligonier.com