We’re circling back to share more about 4th Moon Toys, as it was one of the most fun shops to stop into! Walking into this store is like entering another dimension of science fantasy, with the Force ever present and no doubt that good will prevail!
Mike Freeman started 4th Moon Toys 5 years ago as an online business and shifted to having a lowkey retail space that one would have to know about to shop there 2 years ago. Then 7 months ago, he opened a ground-level storefront on Carlaw, just south of Dundas that’s open 5 days per week.
A lot of this was driven by a shift in the commerce space. No longer shipping to the United States due to logistical challenges with getting merchandise over the border, Mike decided to focus on growing his base of customers right here in Canada rather than trying to fix shipping challenges with the US. This is a story that probably doesn’t surprise you: changes in the relationship between the two countries has had a real impact on our independent stores right here in Toronto, as many of them got up to 60% of their sales from US customers.
So now’s the time to lean into the exceptional stores that the city offers!
4th Moon Toys is super special because it has a HUGE selection of both brand new Star Wars items as well as highly sought after vintage things for the diehard Star Wars fan. In fact, Mike only sells Star Wars stuff because that’s what he loves most, and if that isn’t passion for ya, I don’t know what is!
On that note, there’s something so alluring about real, authentic passion that can’t be faked, isn’t performative, and doesn’t wane. It’s what keeps stores like this running, and what brings in customers time and again. It’s also infectious and so uplifting. I learned so much from Mike and Rob, the sales associate who was helping customers and sharing more about the history of each figurine.
Having grown up watching Star Wars, the light sabers were particularly fascinating. They offer all different price points to suit everyone from entry-level enthusiasts to full on Jedis!
One thing to point out is that it may be counterintuitive, but you can’t compare even exact product matches between this store’s stock and Amazon. That’s because there’s a level of personal care that’s offered by 4th Moon Toys that you don’t get from Amazon: they carefully package every item that is shipped out, so it doesn’t arrive damaged or broken.
Check out the photos to see what they’ve currently got in stock!