Primarily toys from the 80s and 90s, Crowemag Toys buys and sells all types of vintage and collectible toys. Their address is 3721 Lynn Road, a short drive from Crabtree Valley Mall." />
Alex Zachman
Primarily toys from the 80s and 90s, Crowemag Toys buys and sells all types of vintage and collectible toys. Their address is 3721 Lynn Road, a short drive from Crabtree Valley Mall.
At first glance, the most notable element of Crowemag Toys is its sheer, illusory vastness. The inner space is not very big; a walk around the store would take about 10 seconds. However, once inside, ten seconds is nowhere near enough time to take it all in. A giant Nutcracker wearing an Iron Man mask stands beside the door, a life-sized Spider-Man statue poses in the corner and a mess of toys spanning generations of popular culture line the wall behind the counter.
The store is located at Lynnwood Plaza, about 7 minutes down the road from Crabtree Mall. Crowemag also features a booth at the NC State Fairgrounds Flea Market. In contrast to its previously obscure location, the store is now much more out in the open. Crowemag Toys is a hub of vintage, collectible and pop cultural nostalgia for fans of all ages. As a local hidden gem, the store hosts a massive collection of toys, figures and sets from various franchises and eras and offers customers the choice to buy, sell or trade at relatively reasonable prices.
There is so much to absorb just from standing at the door. Spacecraft hang from the ceiling, some easily recognizable, others intriguingly obscure. There are corners and areas dedicated to particular franchises, such as “G.I. Joe” and “Spawn,” and the various toys on display or within stacked boxes blend together progressively well. The Transformers are plentiful, the “Star Wars” toys are exhaustive and the Lego sets, while sparse, are eye-capturing.
Crowemag Toys has an unmistakable atmosphere of familiarity that only seems to increase as one ventures deeper inside. The shelves are stocked with the action figures, robots and vehicles that laid the foundation for many customers’ childhoods. Numerous posters, both rolled up and framed, are found along the walls or leaning against the counter. These posters feature diverse casts of universally recognizable characters, all striking famous poses in bursts of color and action.
One notable element of this store is that any item on display can siphon just enough of a customer’s interest before another item spontaneously catches grabs their attention. One assortment of racks and bins will contain Hot Wheels and bobbleheads, but Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles will suddenly dot the shelves two steps later. In short, it’s pop cultural sensory overload.
Crowemag also boasts an impressive collection of comic book longboxes filled to the brim with back issues. The contents cover a wide range of series and publishers, and everything is sorted alphabetically. Among Crowemag’s valued treasures is a well-preserved copy of Marvel’s “New Mutants” issue #98, which is credited as the first appearance of the character “Deadpool.”
According to Tim Houston, a part-time clerk at Crowemag, aside from the occasional window shopper, most new customers are exposed to the store by its Facebook page.
“We’re in the process of setting up a new registry system,” Houston said. “Once we get that set up, and it goes live in January, we’ll have an online store.”
Houston explained that customers are welcome to trade their toys and similar possessions for store credit, as well as buy and sell traditionally. Houston himself is an avid collector of video games and robot figures.
“Bandai has a line [of robot figures] called ‘Soul of Chogokin’ in Japan, and it’s basically their masterpiece line,” Houston said. “If Soul of Chogokin does a version of something, the gauntlet’s been thrown; no one’s going to top it. They spare no expense, [and] they’re not cheap.”
Crowemag Toys’ 1978 Vinyl Cape Jawa, currently priced at $5,000, isn’t cheap either. According to Jason Stevens, full-time clerk and de facto manager, this particular version of the Star Wars toy is extremely rare and is considered one of the most valuable Star Wars action figures.
“This is something I never thought I’d see,” Stevens said. “It still baffles me when I stare at it sometimes.”
Stevens also mentioned two instances where Action Figure Authority (AFA) graded versions of this toy were sold on eBay for $10,300 and $12,300-$12,500, respectively.
The price above is not in any way the norm for all products at Crowemag. However, within the folds of this innocent toy store, a collector’s paradise exists as a place for prices to get wild. A collector’s touch is evident in the store’s layout and style: certain items are kept organized, encased and pristine in original packages or transparent cabinets, while others are proudly showcased in the nostalgic glory of their wear and tear.
There is much to be said about Crowemag’s influence over the bolstering of its customers’ connections to the past. Both Houston and Stevens agreed that, although the customer age range varies, a significant number of older people visit the store looking for a nostalgic boost.
“If you ever want to see a grown man turn into a child, just come in and [watch] for a [while],” Stevens said. “It will happen.”