Vintage Toy Docuseries Will Benefit Stores Impacted by COVID-19

The film company that told the stories behind Netflix’s The Toys That Made Us is getting ready to focus on the stores which sell those toys. Nacelle Company’s upcoming docuseries on vintage toy stores will pay it forward by donating proceeds to stores affected by coronavirus shutdowns, according to Deadline. The as-yet-untitled series will premiere on Amazon Prime Video, Vimeo, and YouTube starting in mid-April. It will expand to other platforms in the future. Nacelle says to expect one to two episodes per week.

Toy collectors are a rare breed, and outlets to indulge their playful nostalgia are very specialized. Nacelle’s new half-hour docuseries will showcase vintage toy stores by focusing on the histories of individual stores across America. The as-yet-untitled series will show how the retailers get their extremely specialized inventory.

The featured stores are currently operating under coronavirus restrictions due to the COVID-19 crisis. Some stores sell their nostalgic items online storefront, others deliver them curbside. Most of the proceeds from the series will go back to the featured stores while the U.S. is under quarantine.

“We wanted to do something that was entertaining, but also helpful for these wonderful stores who have brought so much joy to our lives, and supported our show from the beginning,” Nacelle Company CEO Brian Volk-Weiss said in a statement.

The first episode will feature Portland, Oregon’s Billy Galaxy Toys. “The Nacelle Company has taken a personal interest in the livelihoods of toy dealers across the globe,” Billy Galaxy, who owns Billy Galaxy Vintage Toys and Collectibles, said in a statement. “This shows the genuineness of the enthusiasm and respect for the topic that made their Toys That Made Us series such a hit. I am honored to be a part of this show.”

Founded by Volk-Weiss, Nacelle also produced Netflix’s Kevin Hart’s Guide To Black History and The Movies That Made Us, Sony’s recent Mad About You revival, The CW’s Discontinued, the Disney+ show Behind The Attraction, and an upcoming documentary about Margaret Loesch, the legendary television executive who brought us Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, The Smurfs, Goosebumps, Muppet Babies and Fraggle Rock.

Season 1 episodes will include to following outlets (per Deadline):

Bill Galaxy Vintage Toys – Portland, OR

Black Cat Comics – Burbank, CA

I&S Collectibles – Echo Park, CA

Blast From The Past – Burbank, CA

1313 Mockingbird Lane – Lawrence, KS

Smash Toys – Chicago, IL

Toy De Jour – Chicago, IL

Kokomo Toys – Kokomo, IN

Farpoint Toys – May’s Landing, NJ

Cherry Bomb Toys – Victoria, BC Canada

The docuseries will premiere in mid-April on Amazon Prime Video, Vimeo, and YouTube. 

Volk-Weiss previously wrote about his experience selling The Toys That Made Us in a special Den of Geek op-ed. You can read more on that here.