The History & Eventual Murder of KB Toys

KB Toys, originally known as Kay Bee Toys, started in the 1920's as a candy wholesaler and eventually grew into the 2nd largest toy store chain in the United States.
But all of that eventually changed, partly at the hands of Bain Capital, and by 2008 KB Toys was out of business.
What happened? And why is KB Toys killer still at large?
Help the channel continue to grow by checking out our Patreon: / toygalaxy
Follow Dan on Instagram:
/ toygalaxy
Toy Galaxy
P.O. box 3976
Manchester, NH 03105-3976
Business Inquiries:
[e-mail]
/ toygalaxytv
/ toygalaxytv
www.teepublic....

[@chinapat6708]

I miss that feeling of going inside a real toy store....

[@wadecarmen7501]

Same. Worked at TRU for four years.

[@libatako]

@@wadecarmen7501 unless you were the manager.....it wasn’t all that fun there.

[@thomaslichman5365]

@@wadecarmen7501 so did I, it was awful lol

[@imsleepingbeauty]

Nothing like it😊

[@theberrby6836]

Yeah..

[@txta786]

Every cool place died in the 2000's thanks in part to corporate greed. The small mom and pop toy/collectable stores in malls were just magical. Malls are straight up depressing now a days. No arcade, no toys, or people.

[@NatsumeKonno]

Barely any arcades. Kids dont even go outside where i live.

[@TheAtroxious]

Corporate greed and the internet. Never underestimate the laziness of the unwashed masses who can't be bothered to leave their houses.

[@dinkmartini3236]

"No arcade, no toys, no people." I visited the mall of my youth a few months ago and half the damn thing didn't even have electricity. All the fountains were dry. It was soooooooo depressing.

[@KentKaliber]

Not just corporate greed, but changing behaviour in new generations. The new "kids" (if you can call them that) aren't into feverishly collecting toys like we were. They prefer staring at their iPad all day. Which is part their fault, part parent's fault. And sadly it won't get better, it will only get worse.

[@Poglavnit_Pferdefuhrer]

Part of the reason why the website cost so much is _they were on track to take advantage of that_ So yeah, unlike the other Big players, Kay Bee was poised to take advantage of the shift. .... At least until _someone_ stole all the money that was going to support the site and transport of product to customer. They were basically going to be "toy Amazon" before there was an Amazon, by buying out and incorporating smaller scale toy manufacturers into the existing delivery routes. Don't have something at one store? Look at the rest of the stores in the state, or even the next state over! Order it for a certain amount, within a certain distance, and shipping is free!

[@mccallosone4903]

KB Toys, Waldenbooks, and Electronics Boutique, the stores i made sure to hit on every visit to the mall with my 10$ allowance. oh yeah, and Aladdins Castle arcade with whatever change i had left!

[@kevinthomas4239]

Waldenbooks was the only bookstore in my town until B/N came to town. I still miss it.

[@nathanl7018]

Those were the go to stores for me as well. Then took my change over to The Gold Mine arcade. Now they're all gone, including the mall they were in, Port Plaza.

[@conchobar]

Electronics Boutique = EBGames = Gamestop

[@dragonmaster7841]

Word! My arcade was called Timeout. If you think about it, those stores were damn expensive even for 1980s prices.

[@TheVosack]

I miss Aladdins Castle.

[@ForPetesake552]

KB toy stores, Sears wish list annual Christmas catalogs. There are some great things the generations moving forward will never experience for themselves, unfortunately.

[@wadecarmen7501]

Garbage now.

[@jngx80]

Do they even care about it? They're either playing video games, watching KZbin memes, tiktok and whatever rots their brains.

[@satanlaffing]

MANNNN, that big ass Sears x-mas wish book was the greatest thing ever. I wish i still had one (from @ ' 84, '85) to Check Out For Nostalgia.

[@Nick_Nightingale]

@@satanlaffing You should Google old Sears catalogs. There is a site that has scanned many of them.

[@dinkmartini3236]

JC Penny, Ward's and Sears Christmas Catalogs. The HOURS we would spend oogling those toys. Circling the important ones. Showing mom...AGAIN which ones we wanted. She must be told. SHE MUST BE TOLD!!!

[@FreedSamurai]

Oh how I miss KB toys. Or just toy stores in general

[@tryksta7247]

Nothing beats the feeling of seeing a toy or figure in hand and the childhood excitement of being allowed to stop at the toy store. But with scalpers buying up all the good stuff and bleeding stores dry, then selling it marked up on the Internet, does it matter so much anymore anyway? For instance I like figures and never find the ones I want at the stores. Only dozens of overproduced figures no one wants.

[@FreedSamurai]

Tryksta 724 I think that the moments when I actually find something I’m looking for in the wild (at either a target or a GameStop) and that feeling I have makes it worth it. It’s just unrealistic in today’s climate

[@bb5242]

@@tryksta7247 That happened before the Internet--even in the '80s the hot Star Wars and later GI Joe action were always inexplicably like what you describe. Certain ones could just never be found because a-holes would buy them all up to sell at flea markets (?) Not sure where, but same deal. I remember going through racks and racks of figures looking for that one "Firefly" or "Gung Ho" figure and seeing nothing but "Scarlett" two feet deep. Scarlett was that decade's Rey.

[@tryksta7247]

@@bb5242 For sure. There were also unequal numbers produced of figures and sometimes only ones released overseas. I remember Silver Surfer being like that and Batman Returns Catwoman and Robin...

[@pgaven9396]

Rip toy stores nationwide

[@sonicjackalopeproductions3342]

Moral of the story: Everyone says Amazon killed the toy store, when in fact it was Mitt Romney. True story.

[@kidwajagstang]

Mitt Romney took out KB AND Toys R Us... I think I personally despise this man more than any other evil billionaire in the world..

[@terrancorestories]

@@kidwajagstang I agree

[@Sinn0100]

I didn't know Mitt Romney killed Toys R US...what a greedy pile of human garbage.

[@johnnykitsune1949]

Pretty sure it was a mixture of things. The advent of online shopping and Toys R Us' firm stand on selling product over MSRP when you could get it at cost or under MSRP online played a large roll in their downfall.

[@Jay-yr8fn]

No he didn’t they K.B nor Toys’R us didn’t evolve so they died.

[@ussilov]

"Oh, you think the mall is your ally. But you merely adopted the mall; I was born in it, molded by it." -Bain Capital

[@yoshininku81]

Kgmer

[@331Grabber]

"Trust in the mall Starbucks coffee Luke." -Obi Wan Valdez

[@daneg007]

" i didn't play with the toys until i was already a young man and by then they were nothing to me but profit."

[@daneg007]

" ahh, i was wondering what would break first, your mall stores.........or your website."

[@theruggedindoorsman]

😂😂

[@MikePhalin]

KB: where you went in 2007 to find 'Robocop' toys from ... 1993.

[@codylamp6814]

Hmmm, that sounds pretty neat. Lol

[@rayfran06]

Honestly in around that time I worked at a mall and would stop by the KB Toys on the way into work. Built my Batman Collection that way and my Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks figures collection. Loved it!

[@geet77777]

You understand.

[@chocolateking1143]

That’s actually pretty cool. LOl

[@YT0091]

KB Toys and the arcade were my sole reasons for being okay with having to go to the god forsaken mall. That applied to me as a child and an adult. Then they both died. Now when asked if I will go to the mall, I break down and weep. Mostly because my wife doesn't want to take a crying grown man with her to the mall. It's an effective escape plan. try it.

[@Poglavnit_Pferdefuhrer]

RIP also the excessive extravagant portions of Chinese mall food!!! I swear I was getting damn near 5 pounds per single entree! 😭 Those effing styrofoam packages were always STRAINING and about to burst!!! For ~10$ I could eat for three days! 😱

[@usagi32211]

I worked at a KB in high school during the name change from Kay-Bee to KB. I can't tell you how many times people writing checks would get mad when they asked how to spell the store's name and I told them "It's just KB"...like I was messing with them. I still have my old name tag, and it very clearly says KB on it. It was one of the best jobs I ever had, and I was sad to see them go under.

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

It didn't even occur to me that it changed from Kay-Bee. Thought I was undergoing some mandela effect from the video title and intro.

[@timothygenewong]

Thank you for such a clear and educational video. I had no idea that Bain Capital was responsible for multiple downfalls within toy retail. Such a sad and miserable story. The world is certainly a less fun place without a proper toy store. And, of course, so many people loss their jobs and pensions.

[@DavidASinSTL]

@Rob T you know nothing

[@DavidASinSTL]

@Rob T I lived it. AND you are a piece of shit. I said that...

[@SaraphDarklaw]

@@DavidASinSTL You annihilated him.

[@TheIMMORTALKAHNHD]

@@SaraphDarklaw not according to ratio.

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

BainCapital was basically "Hey kids, you think regular capitalism is exploitative? Try capitalism+!"

[@greggraffin]

I worked at a Toy Liquidators (KB Toys outlet), and here's a little secret of our store that may be true of others as well. I think people know that KB seemed to never get rid of toys, they would just discount and discount until they sold. Well, what happened if the toys never sold? Here's what happened at my store, those toys just got thrown up on top of the aisle rack where they were out of sight. My favorite thing to do was to get up on the ladder and sift through the mountains of dusty, forgotten toys on the top of the racks. The best part was, when you'd ring them up, the system kept discounting them all those years later and they were a small fraction of whatever the sticker price was by that point. To give you an idea of the randomness up there, my favorite find was a 1996 WWF Bend-ems ring with Paul Bearer figure, and I worked there in 2001-2. Easily my favorite (and least paying) job!

[@CoinOpTV]

Just posted some toys for sale on ebay that still had the KB Toys price stickers on em :)

[@ibexthadevil3533]

I have a bunch as well

[@loucipher6839]

ebays going to rob you once you sell them, better off posting on your facebook, craigslist, offerup or selling in person...

[@rylewx]

@@loucipher6839 They take roughly 10%. So does Mercari, but they seem to be more transparent about it. Looks like Facebook Marketplace is adding selling fees as well for shipped goods.

[@PC_TV_73]

Ebay may charge more fees but I find selling on ebay a lot faster a lot. Post the same item on all market places and it will almost always sell on ebay first.

[@GeekToMeRadio]

I love buying toys with those price stickers on them. It’s like a little time capsule.

[@GeekHour]

Same thing with Gamestop, with its inflated value I'm sure they took out a crap load of loans. Killing it for sure now.

[@bunkerzero]

For me it was always K.B. toys, rarely ever went to Toys R us because "They're too expensive" lol

[@Transfixed]

I've only been in a KB/Kay-Bee once but enjoyed the history lesson, and Greg really produced the heck out of this episode :)

[@deanallenjones]

the fact I found this FASCINATING despite being British and never hearing of KB before speaks # volumes to the research, scripting, presentation and production of this Chanel.

[@jgfear]

I used to work for Kay Bee. I was very “green”. My first day was on Black Friday. Not a good experience at all.

[@MikeKaess]

KB was my first job out of school. I worked there for 3 years and honestly loved every day of it until I got a new manager and started hating every day of it. I honestly miss those day. The early 00s was a different more simple time. I was sad when they went under.

[@JazGalaxy]

It’s funny how much a manager can affect a job. They can instantly turn a great place to work into a horrible place to work.

[@Gryphon2026]

Yeah, they were!

[@matthewblackwood4704]

The 80s we're much better...even the early 90s

[@LordChrisBerg]

holy shit i was gonna type exactly what you said. same exact thing happened to me. loved it and then new manager was a bitch. i quit a few months before they shut down and found a better job. before they closed i would always go in there to look for marvel legends and see the worried faces of the managers because they were getting shut down. seeing them shitting bullets put a smile on my face, but hey! got the toybiz marvel legends for cheap . i dont miss the managers telling me to help every single customer and tell them the same thing 5 other employees just told them. they always had secret shoppers and thankfully they gave good feedback about me. r.i.p. KB, my only regret was not using my employee discount

[@jakeharris9800]

I had a KB manager who didn't want to share the code to accept a return. So every time a customer would return a product (which was often), I'd have to go to her office and wake her up. Also her son would hang out and hit me in the nuts a lot. That job had so much more potential on paper.

[@187SicknesS]

I come here to hear how every piece of my childhood has been liquidated, crushed, and discontinued.

[@lorinatidc]

Having worked for TRU, and that is a company I owe (at least their people) in my time of need after my military service, I feel for their employees. I'm glad you made this so people will see the real reasons behind why these companies go out of business behind the scenes. I didn't know it was the same company with Kay Bee. Those were childhood memories! Great video as Always T.G.

[@Slackmana]

Back in the early 90's my favorite store was the corner store. There were magazine racks full of comics, an area dedicated to Arcade machines, and the front counter was all trading cards. Now you don't find any of that stuff at a corner store...

[@mrdonigan]

I grew up pretty poor, so a trip to the mall or Toys R Us (once we got one in our city) was a pretty rare occurrence, however KB was more likely to happen since my mom could drop us off at the mall for hours and have some probably much deserved time to herself. So a lot of my paper route money was spent at good ole KB. In college one of my close friends managed the KB store, and I worked in a Pipe and Cigar Store in the same mall. So I spent some time helping with truck, and still spending chunks of my pay check there.

[@jonathangoode546]

I've gotten most of my toy-biz action figures from KB toys .it was a great store for my children too. If toys r us didn't have it THEY SURE DID !

[@Larry]

I am the one who broke KBs back.

[@VuNguyen-eq2nh]

Hello you😁

[@krog875]

LARRY!!!!

[@SWIFTO_SCYTHE]

LARRY!! You re on all the videos XD

[@RC.41]

You son of a bitch!

[@scarface1138]

Knightfall for kb

[@RecondosJungle]

Wow! Wow. I had no idea that the same "investment" company was at the heart of both major toystore closings.. mind blower. If it turns out that Bain's silent partner is Heat Miser, I am going to be very dissappointed.

[@bunkerzero]

They are the toy slayers

[@darrenhood4033]

@Lassi Kinnunen even so there then becomes a mentality if Bain and other corporate raiders that reads: "Got mine, duck yall, solve your own problems, not my fault you can't make more money for yourselves."

[@originaluddite]

What about Burgermeister Meisterburger...

[@BornToPun7541]

@Rob T it makes for good politics to paint all capitalists as Scrooges and Meisterburgers. When in doubt, say that businessmen are killjoys

[@white-dragon4424]

@@BornToPun7541 The right name for them is "neoliberals". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism Despite the name, it means big business being allowed to run amok, like OCP in the movie RoboCop.

[@OtakuUnitedStudio]

Can we PLEASE do something about Bain? They exist entirely by leeching off other companies until they die. Or, hey, maybe start a class action lawsuit with as many former KB and Toys R Us employees as possible. Fortunately, FAO Schwarz is back again. Frankly I hope Toys R Us goes after their assailants once they've finished recuperating, and maybe we can put those parasites down once and for all.

[@Jcc2224]

Gotta love America, where a faceless corporation will buy a smaller company for the sole purpose of bleeding them dry, running them out of business, and earning a profit just for themselves. Stuff like this is what just makes me sad, but then again I get an odd satisfaction in knowing that those executives *have no souls and know no true happiness* . Oh yeah, toys. Toys are COOL!

[@RandomAmerican3000]

The moral of the story is, don't sell out to faceless corporations. In fact, don't sell out to anyone without a face.

[@locNguyen-jb1vt]

Same with our social security polesi anyone

[@kthemaster1999]

@@puckerings Found the liberal.

[@RandomAmerican3000]

@@Samael1113 Oh look, stuff I already knew. You might want to learn how to spot tongue-in-cheek comments before you type out an entire lecture. Will save you some time.

[@tryksta7247]

@@RandomAmerican3000 Those faceless corporations will always have the money and the creative types always won't. Wave a big enough check in front of someone's face, and desperation is a stinky cologne. Everyone has integrity until they don't.

[@splatterbrain3788]

I'm 38 and I absolutely love going into brick and mortar toy stores.

[@nathanl7018]

Mitt Romney must be the one person that hit the dislike button

[@alex_roivas333]

lmao

[@JazGalaxy]

I don’t get it.

[@jonathanmartin3767]

Fuck obama too

[@bonorbitz]

...with about 19 other Republicans at the moment.

[@jefferyjones8399]

@@jonathanmartin3767 Obama had nothing to do with Bain

[@GazBot]

Company man, had already clued me into the cartoon villains that are bane capitol, but I enjoyed your take on this as well. I especially loved the "meeting footage"You are in my top 5 favorite channels, and even though I don't always comment, I always watch, and I always thumbs up. Keep up the good work sir (s)!

[@Quirky_QF]

Murder mysteries, inspirational quotes, AND Bill & Ted references? Best episode EVER!

[@mc5or6]

Quintin Fortune isn't this some Mandela effect stuf? I thought KB went out way earlier?

[@lcfflc3887]

THE 90'S WERE THE BEST, OUR FAVORITE STORES WERE STILL ALIVE, COMP USA, TOYS R US, RADIO SHACK, CIRCUIT CITY, NO gBODY BEAT THE WHISS WIZ, and of course K B TOYS, IF I MISS ONE NAME IT.

[@allysonracadio9715]

Kay-Bee was where I bought ALL my Gobots! Including Thruster and the Command Center! I think I had fonder memories of going into Kay-Bee because it was always sporadic and unexpected that I was allowed to go, a pleasant surprise, meanwhile, Toys R Us visits were fewer and far between, and planned. I always found more obscure toys there, too, and a larger selection of stuff like Gobots. Great trip down memory lane, Dan!

[@jackson5116]

KB had the mall advantage, because it's easier to go nationwide into malls than what Toys R Us did in opening their own stores outside of malls- more expensive startup, as well as longer. Sure, your profits may be higher per store, but it takes a lot longer to expand that way.

[@darrenhood4033]

Kay Bee was where it was at. Toys R Us was a palace with more toys and seeing a pyramid of Technodromes will always be in my memories but I built my collection because of those 3 for $10 and 3 for $5 deals. Those sales were my life. TrU was also on the other side of town the mall was only 5 minutes away by car. There was only one choice to satisfy my toy fix.

[@MickeyJoesMREReviews]

15,000 years of human evolution, and I really feel like we've peaked with this video. Dan, you are a goddamn national treasure and I salute you

[@BonusEggs4Sale]

The BainCapital "vest" logo gag was particularly brilliant

[@jasoncarrasco7682]

Makes me sad that I can't take my own kids to a KB, Toys R Us, Blockbuster or any arcades thay have me such joy as a kid

[@amirsmith7676]

I miss kB toys and Toys R Us!

[@jackson5116]

me too

[@jonathangoode546]

SO SAY WE ALL ,SO SAY WE ALL !

[@actionfigurescollectionssu7854]

Me too

[@forsaken-exile9083]

You can thank a force fed "Instant Gratification" online shopping culture. I feel sorry for the new generation who knows nothing about walking into a store full of toys : D I really hope those days will be seen again soon!

[@actionfigurescollectionssu7854]

@@forsaken-exile9083 Yeah I feel sorry for the new Generation too the only thing we got is Walmart and target 🎯 and GameStop and Walgreens and best buy all those toy stores like KayBe and toy are us Were obsolete years ago

[@slappyslapster9560]

How I miss my favorite toy store..u still remember

[@justiceserved69]

I started as a part-time seasonal overnight stocker and worked my way up district manager... 13 years after I started they closed the doors and I enlisted in the Army... yeah it had that kind of effect on me lol

[@kevinoverbeck4250]

KB was my first job while I was in High School in the early 90's. GREAT JOB on the history and research regarding it. I really remember some key points that were happening during my employment there!

[@OldManTheseDays]

It was so fun going into that store and finding interesting toys you didn't find anywhere else. G2 Transformers... Machine Wars... it was the Wild West of toy stores.

[@DavidMartin-lj8yj]

UncleDeluxe lol that was where I used to go for machine wars

[@karaoconnoraliasraidra]

I got a Troll doll from a series not available in other stores. I still have it and the packaging somewhere.

[@TheOmegazerox]

I found old Legos and yes transformers that were retired in other stores at Kb.

[@satanlaffing]

Yep, i found "The Karate Kid" action figures there, nowhere else.

[@Mitsuraga]

It's where I first discovered Spider-Man Classics figures, the line that would become Marvel Legends. I miss when they came packed with a comic.

[@RekkaAlexiel]

"They Melvined me." I had a feeling you were going to say this... xD

[@MarcelosToyRoom]

Thanks Baine Capital Murdurer of Toy Stores 😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@lamarravery4094]

Mitt Romney, what a Grinch! But it's just business. That ass hole I think is a Senator now. If the people who voted for him only knew. At least Obama beat his sorry Mormon ass.

[@chrisguevara]

Baine is the worst. It was good to see that picture of Mitt grovelling for job in Trump's cabinet. He is as slimey as they come.

[@jackson5116]

that and the market shifted, so these stores they overloaded with debt weren't able to shift with it. They probably played 70 to 80% in their demise, the rest was market shift.

[@tilmanstoys7981]

I see a new ginormous toys store on the horizon. It will be named Toy Galaxy.

[@lt.creggar5903]

Kay Bee always had the best toys and lots of stuff TRU didn’t have. If only the Wayne Foundation had stepped in, Bain Capital wouldn’t have murdered all the toy stores.

[@dinkmartini3236]

Yeah...Bruce talks a big game but when we needed him he was brooding in that damn cave. They're DEAD. Get OVER IT!

[@psycold]

My friends and I worked at a KB in an outlet mall in our early 20's, we would smoke weed all day and had to deal with creepy old men who collected 1:18 scale diecast models. Good times.

[@D21BeastReviews]

This one hurts. K.B. Toys is actually where I started my Marvel Legends collecting. One fateful day I walked in with one of my first high school job paychecks and walked out with series 1 Iron Man, Captain America and Hulk (Toad had already sold). My life and hobby was changed forever that day.

[@odizm5196]

KB Toys ,Toys'RUs,Blockbuster,Hollywood Video, Circuit City ,FYE,Suncost,radio shack And now Games stop My Chilldhood is officialy dead ....almost

[@Dudewitdaplan22]

I friggin love these history videos. Thank you so much, Dan. You guys have filled the void left behind after Glenn Webb passed away as the history aspect of his channel was something I truly looked forward to watching and loved. Toy Galaxy has become my favorite KZbin channel.

[@1teamski]

Man, back in the 1980's, K-B Toys was absolutely awesome! You could get carts for Intellivision and the 2600 at a fraction of the cost and they had tons of different items at discount from D&D modules to Atlantic Toy Soldiers. After that.....it really started to suck.

[@elcowabungahe-man6156]

I miss you 😭Kay Bee Toys 85% my collection came from this store

[@thadoodoobirds1461]

i remember being a young teen ( and still into toys) ...my local mall KB had all the Xmen toys that you just couldnt find anywhere else, and i also remember that gap where the original NES went out of style ...they brought back an NES reissue and a ton of games. i spent ALOT of money on nostalgia during that point. It was sad to see them go...now the mall it was in is just an empty husk with only a bath & body works & a jc penny (i mean that literally) ..i was at the very LAST day of the Toys R Us closing...fought back tears having to see your childhood (& childrens) being torn apart like that.

[@JunkyardFox]

You missed the chance to play the clip of Rises where businessman Daggett tells Bane in fear: “but we’ve paid you a fortune.”

[@scarface1138]

"And that gives you...power over me?"

[@jonathangoode546]

Do YOU FEEL IN CHARGE ?

[@scarface1138]

CIA agent Bill: "So what's next in your master plan?" Bane Romney: "Crashing this toy company...WITH NO SURVIVORS!"

[@artstudent1255]

KB toys, Radio Shack, Suncoast video, Sears ... Malls used to be so much more fun than they are today. I'm glad my daughter got to see at least the last few years of physical toy stores before they all closed up and she out grew them. Telling her kids about places like this is gonna be like telling them about a fantasy they'll never experience.

[@vmcinerneyvm]

i used to love KB toys, this was a great vid happy new year Mr. Dan Larson...

[@MrTheMighty]

This is a bit weird, but the first time there's a picture of KB looking the way I remember the one I used to visit looking, it triggered a long-forgotten sense memory. I suddenly remembered how that store smelled. A combination of plastic, whatever the mall used to clean/shine the floors, and - weirdly - baking spices. The first Playstation game I ever bought with my own pocket money and without parental involvement came from KB. We didn't know what we had.

[@Outlawstar79]

Sigh....so many Toy Biz toys bought, but the most note worthy was my buying all those Exo-Squad toys. Ohh what a magical time to be a kid and having a KB in a mall near me, it was beautiful Dan...sooo Beeeaauutifull *weeps incohrently

[@russbenoit6061]

Great video. I had a 2nd job fresh out of college working at KB in the late 90's that helped me pay off school loans. It was a great environment and thankfully I left long before it went belly up. Those stacks of discounted toys right inside the door were a PITA though, especially on Black Friday *shudders at the memory*

[@tylerdooks2055]

I don't know how you find the time to make these videos but I'm damn pleased you do!

[@dashrendar99]

I still have tons of action figures I purchased from KB back in the 90s. Right when the Star Wars figures were released again. I remember getting X-Men figures and Aliens vs Predator stuff. And the discounts were awesome. I remember their price stickers with the simulated red pen slashed over the retail price and a new price underneath. Good times. But nothing lasts forever I guess.

[@Anthony-fm7ot]

I need that Silverhawk motivational poster... that made me laugh harder than it probably should have.

[@leemd5049]

After seeing that reference, I'm binge watching my SilverHawk DvDs.

[@ggEmolicious]

“This is a Candy business, but it’s still a business.” Love that I have a lot in common with 10 year old Dan.

[@CUniverse]

Bain Capital? Why does that name sound fami- OH. OH NO.

[@munstrumridcully]

You know, it's that totally awesome vulture er, venture capital firm that made Mitt Romney a mint! Gotta love those anarcho-capitalist venture capital companies, they exploit, use up and cast aside the dead carcasses of companies that actually provide a service and/or product! How I loath them!

[@Gryphon2026]

@@munstrumridcully I'm right there with ya! They all absolutely suck!

[@munstrumridcully]

@Sith'ari Azithoth it's not fallacious, as it is only rules extetnal to the markets that they want removed, like any form of external regulation. This doesn't make it logically unsound, just stupid, as even cobtract law is external regulation. But even if it is fallacious, the philosophy exists and there are still plenty of people that believe it is a good idea and some of those people run things like venture capital firms and act unethically.

[@fireheartis1]

@@munstrumridcullyYou know I voted for Mitt Romney in 2012 just because Obama didn't keep his promises as President. Now even though Obama screwed the country up with his identity politics, I think Mitt would have screwed us up even worse. In a strange way it was a blessing for Obama to be voted in for a second term. Mitt would have ruined our economy even worse then what Obama would have ever done.

[@stevenbaker107]

I freaking loved them. They had some awesome toys especially the M.A.S.K. toys. Unfortunately I moved so much that I lost everything that I had.

[@ThePartySourceReviews]

This so very sad. Our company, The Party Source, is an ESOP (Employee Owned) company. Seeing Bain systematically destroy someone's livelihood is purely sickening. I loved KB Toys, they were the only toy store in my town were I grew up. So many happy memories with them. Cheers, -J.O.

[@DylanPierceCrowley]

Dylan. Pierce. Crowley.

[@Vidikron]

Rob T You work for Bain or something? They did destroy KB and TRU. They bought TRU with huge loans and the forced TRU to pay off those loans themselves... AFTER paying Bain various management fees (which is laughable considering their ‘management’ is what killed them). TRU could barely pay down the interest on the loans and eventually had to file for bankruptcy. And since their hands were tied trying to pay the fees Bain as well as paying off the loans they didn’t have any capital to evolve and compete in a rapidly changing retail landscape. This is what killed them. This is what Bain does over and over. Fuck them.

[@jebediahchagels]

@Rob T A lot of loyalty for a hired gun

[@donfisherjr.2404]

I worked at a KB Toy store for exactly one week and quit because the manager hated kids and he griped about how much mess they made of the toy displays. It was one of the most depressing places I ever worked and I never regretted leaving there.

[@cloudfoxwell]

Every time I watch one of these videos I think about how much fun it would probably be to hang out with these maniacs.

[@sheeplebarn333]

my experience with KB in Sacramento was they only leased the location for four or five months out of the year. while I shopped there from time to time out of convenience, I felt their seasonal operation made for undertrained bad service and a mobile generic product line. also the banning of toy guns not only by KB and ToysrUs was always an agitation for me, I actually had a TrU employee literally freak out one day when I asked her where the toy guns were- funny the action figure including playmobil and legos sets still were armed with guns - boy will be boys- they will make a gun out of their toast or a stick if they have to - why not make money off of it ? subscribing

[@dbeane43]

I was a young, young, every so young manager at Toys R Us when Bain Capital bought us out with KKR and Vornado Realty as their partners. Everything changed after that. Store closings, higher prices and constant threats to our jobs if we didn't like the changes. However, in all fairness, Toys R Us (like KB) left themselves open to that by making a lot of foolish business decisions. Fortunately, I left well before the hammer fell at Toys R Us. Until this video, though, I didn't know Bain Capital had done this to KB. Damn shame.

[@wadecarmen7501]

Mitt Romney was involved in Bain.

[@thecaptain2281]

@ Toy Galaxy I was a manager at a KB in Utah for a while. I miss that job! At the time, it paid well, was way fun and the employee discounts were generous. Good times..

[@AstrobotJones]

holy crooked finances, Danman. Bane broke the backs of toy businesses by buying them out and beating them down with bankruptcy.

[@tryksta7247]

It's Bain metaphorically breaking the backs of toy businesses, not Bane breaking the back of Batman =)

[@AstrobotJones]

@@tryksta7247 well, yeah. Though I wasn't privy to the spelling until after posting.

[@tryksta7247]

@@AstrobotJones I know what you meant. It was my GREED at wanting the opportunity to make the joke =)

[@nicholastosoni707]

And they ALMOST got Dunkin' Donuts. Ever wonder why their donuts seem small and cheap compared to the good old days? It's because they *only just survived* Bain Capital.

[@drunkenmoosecorp8878]

I miss going in to a K- B toy store as a child. The battery operated dog that barks and does back flips and along with the penguin staircase that when they get to the top they slid down to go back up again. All set up to draw attention of children as they walk past with their parents. I miss it all 😭😢

[@Pegwarmers]

Wow, this episode turned out so great! I want to work in toys, but the money is in toy business murdering.

[@garylshawiii483]

I wish we actually had capitalism. I love the spirit of competition and innovation but BS like this is not capitalism. It’s mobanomics

[@39gkastor]

Yo, KB was my favorite. They had toys u couldn't find in other stores.

[@rickhoes6326]

Good riddance. Fudge 'em. They aided and abetted in the assasination of the Sega Saturn back in 1995. 🤬

[@Kenny-wr3ky]

I forgot all about k b toys now I feel sad and nostalgic at least we still have toys r us... oh wait never mind. Good bye toy stores. I'll be in my corner crying.

[@dinkmartini3236]

Unbelievable...Yet ANOTHER reason to hate romney.

[@irongary]

worked at KB for 4 years, which kicked my collecting hobby into high gear at the age of 16. 32 years old now been going strong ever since!

[@charleshadle9376]

Mitt Romney at Bain is effectively the Burgermeister Meister Burger. Killing joy in the hearts of children #waronChristmas #waronJoy #waronFun

[@benwright391]

I'm not even a toy person and I can't stop watching Every-Single-One of your infernal videos. Damn you, Toy Galaxy, damn you!!!! (Also, great job on this one.)

[@yoshininku81]

Khmer

[@yoshininku81]

6

[@yoshininku81]

Maher Modifier and

[@yoshininku81]

Aaa KHIMovir

[@Chaosic]

I remember buying toys from Kb Toys in the 90s and 2000s at the mall, good times it sucks they are gone.

[@brianb815]

I would donate to your Patreon, but I have money invested in a hot Bain Capital investment tip. ;)'

[@jackson5116]

XD

[@AdhamOhm]

At my childhood mall we had Kay Bee Toys, Camelot Music (the FYE of the early 90s) and an arcade all next to each other. I don't know if it was coincidence or genius planning but that particular area was like a paradise compared to all the boring clothes and jewelry stores in the rest of the mall.

[@ttz4m3]

I'm from the UK, so this was really interesting as we didn't have KB over here. I'm interested in the business and history of the toy industry as much as I am in toys themselves. Thanks! Keep up the good work and interesting, well researched content.

[@majinoyal]

I miss Kay💂Bee toy store! Especially the 3 Marvel action figures for $10!

[@libratigerpictures]

🎵 I'm BANE, yes, that's my name, if you say it too much then it becomes inane! I laugh when you ask why I wear the mask, I'll explain... it's because I'm BANE! 🎵

[@langleymneely]

When you say Bain Capital you might as well put a face and name on it that everyone can remember as being the enemy of toys in North America, period: MITT ‘Ill take 47% of your toys’ ROMNEY!

[@langleymneely]

toasteee252 Maybe for you calling half the country “takers” is positive behavior for the likes of Mitt Romney, for me it is not. More importantly though I merely used 47% as a simple descriptor of the man responsible for ruining the 2 biggest toy stores in N America. Yeah I may have been talking about a political figure but my intent was not a discussion of politics as opposed to bringing up his company’s direct involvement in the videos topic.

[@chasinthroughthedecade]

Mitt Romney must have had a rather rough childhood.....

[@mrdonigan]

He strapped his dog in a kennel to the top of the family car. On top of the car on the interstate!

[@redroversk]

I love when he lost in 2012, the look of disappointment on all of his huge family's smug faces when they got they the rude awakening that, no, you don't always get what you want.

[@mrdonigan]

@@redroversk I just wish we could have seen the same face on that entitled manchild trump's face. Hopefully we'll see it when he gets convicted of the crimes he's committed.

[@Goose21995]

Kids don’t even play with toys anymore. Its all legos and tablets.

[@winterkrash]

Goose Toys nowadays serve more as a collection. As a memory of times gone by (I also collect toys). But don’t forget that Lego is also a toy from way, way way back-and a good one at that. They’re just lucky to not be beholden to any corporation hence their survival. Plus they know how to innovate and keep up with the times.

[@MrBoyYankee]

Dan do you remember Child World/ Children's Palace?

[@RogersSteveF45]

Devon Lott I remember children’s palace bro

[@MrBoyYankee]

@@RogersSteveF45 Aye O'l friend How's everything ?

[@cjdunham3190]

Yesss!! I actually was just gonna ask about Children's Palace. In KC, about two hours away from the little farm town where I grew up. It was always a huge special occasion when we made it to the city, but when those trips included Children's Palace..... wow.

[@DrugTalkTV]

@@cjdunham3190 The one on 95th and Metcalf area in KC? That was my toy store of my childhood.

[@grogvaughan5649]

We had 2 children's palace stores in the area (Akron Ohio) back in the 60's and 70's when I was a kid.

[@ianj4389]

Bain Capital, lead by Mitt Romney... Store and job vampires.

[@matthewblackwood4704]

Bain Capital is Mitt Romney

[@JarionSilverblades]

I loved KB. I picked up all the Ronin Warriors figures cheap and still have them.

[@CoRDSau]

"they melvin'd me" is also what popped into my head when you said Melville as well

[@LungsOutJem]

There was a few years in my childhood where our local mall had both a Kay Bee Toys and a K&K toy store. There were times I went back and forth three or four times to decide what I wanted.

[@Biosynthnut]

KB was a fun store. We had Child World here, I don't know if that was a national chain? But Selection was massive there.

[@fearanarchy]

10y/o Dan should've been a financial advisor. He knew some stuff about gambling, risk, and investment. Lemme know when you assemble a stock portfolio. I wanna clone it.

[@Arashikage32]

Dan, thanks for all of your hard work. Your videos are almost always a highlight in my week. And I live a pretty great life, so..... 😀

[@Evyscreations]

This may be my favorite history episode yet. When can we expect the Toy Galaxy Inspirational Posters? That government sugar rarioning quote tugs at the heart strings.

[@zatransis]

I love this channel.