Ken DeCoster
Rockford Register Star
Published 5:06 a.m. CT March 9, 2023
A business specializing in vintage toys, games, magazines and other memorabilia will soon have a new address.
Beach Boys Toys is relocating from 915 S. Alpine Road, Suite 103 to 2019 Broadway, across the street from Toad Hall Books and Records.
“We share a lot of customers and I actually lowered my rent to get him over here because I really wanted him there,” said Nick Naruz, whose family owns Toad Hall and the space that will house Beach Boys Toys. “I know it’s going to be beneficial for me and beneficial for him and, if he’s successful, he’s going to stay there, which benefits the store and myself in the long term.”
Business owner Jeramy Beach will lease an 800 square foot storefront that was previously used as storage space for Toad Hall and is next door to the vintage furniture and art gallery known as Tawdry Toast Artcade.
The name “Beach Boys Toys” is a nod to Beach and his 11-year-old son, Aidan, and is not linked to the famous pop band of the 60s, although Beach is hopeful the store’s new home will bring him some good vibrations.
“The foot traffic is what I’m missing at the current location,” Beach said. “This group of businesses in one area will hopefully satisfy everyone’s needs.”
Beach Boys Toys specializes in toys, games and memorabilia from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Toy robots known as Generation One Transformers, Masters of the Universe action figures, GI Joe dolls and My Little Pony toys are among the store’s most popular items.
The store even offers what Beach calls “dead media formats,” including VHS tapes.
“A lot of our items have emotions attached to them and I can see it in people’s eyes,” Beach said.
Beach, 43, spent 15 years in the northwest suburbs of Chicago working as an independent contractor for FedEx before he relocated to Rockford to be closer to his family and to pursue his dream of opening his own store.
“I’ve been a collector myself for 30 plus years,” he said. “I just wanted to transition out of a job that I didn’t like and didn’t fulfill me and so I decided to open a store.”
Beach Boys Toys opened at its current location about nine months ago.
Beach hopes to open his new space in the second week of April. He’s still in the process of determining business hours for the store’s new location.
“Our slogan is ‘Come find your happy,’” he said. “Even if you don’t buy anything, we love people coming in and reliving a memory.”
Ken DeCoster covers business news and features. Contact him at 815-987-1391, kdecoster@rrstar.com.
