

In the new space, the Woodwards added a mural featuring well-known toy, movie and video game characters. “We absolutely are in love with our mural,” said Candice. At the new location, there is a temporary ramp that will soon be replaced with a permanent one. There was no room for ramps or elevators to be built in the older building. At the Broad Street location, a reoccurring issue was that many supporters of the toy museum had never come because it could only be accessed by stairs. So we want to add to the more flavour of the family fun.”Īnother perk of the new location is it is far more accessible.

B likes this entertainment feature to the store because “we are right next to the board game cafe and then there’s the haunted mini-golf. One of the new additions to the store has been the pinball machines and stand-up arcade games.

Show different times, and different points, and what was important during different aspects of our history.” It is to help preserve the history of toys. “That’s why we created the National Toy Museum of Canada. “It’s always been in a sense a marker of history all through time” says B.

The museum became a hidden gem separate to the toy store as it was a collection of toys they had acquired over the years and wanted to display for visitors to enjoy. While at the century-old heritage building on Broad Street, the couple opened the National Toy Museum of Canada. When the couple’s store was located on Broad Street, they went through four different landlords before the final ones decided to take over the space. Not only was the toy store located on Broad Street, but the Woodward’s lived above the space. The owners say the community was sad to see the store move locations. for five years before moving to the beloved Broad Street location. When Cherry Bomb Toys first opened, it was located on 630 Courtney St. B Woodward owns the shop alongside his wife Candice Woodward, who also shares a passion for toys. – a big move after being at the store’s previous location, 1410 Broad St., for 14 years. “I think I just appreciate everything about toys.”ī is always excited about toys, but he’s also excited about the much-anticipated reopening of the store at 719 Yates St. The words come out of the mouth of B Woodward as he walks around the new location of Cherry Bomb Toys, a Victoria business staple for nearly 20 years. “Maybe I never wanted to grow up, maybe I just love playing with toys too much.” The likes of The Pinball Arcade (which recreates a bunch of classic licensed tables) and Zen Pinball (which offers original tables based on the likes of Marvel, Star Wars and South Park) make sure those who prefer their entertainment digital don't forget what their tastes replaced.Left to right: Optimus Prime from Transformers, Master Chief from Halo, and Big Bird from Sesame Street at Cherry Bomb. Gamers have been enjoying the pinball love, too. The kitsch value of retro pinball machines has seen a resurgence in bars and arcades, and existing and new companies like Stern, Jersey Jack Pinball and Heighway Pinball are doing their best to ensure fanatics continue to get a fresh supply of new machines to try out. Related, on VICE: Talking Pinball and Pedantry with Richard Herringīut that doesn't mean that it's flatlining, either. You certainly couldn't argue that the industry in rude health at the moment. Granted, the advent of video games gave pinball a hefty kick up the coin slot, and ever since then sales of pinball machines have been a mere shadow of what they used to be back in the 1960s and '70s. In reality, I don't think it'll ever truly die. Long story short, pinball's been "on the way out" for as long as I can remember. It was also read its last rites when Williams declared that Star Wars: The Phantom Menace would be its last machine. When Gottlieb hung up its flippers in 1996, pinball was declared dead then, too.
