Beloved Concord Toy Shop To Close After 78 Years

CONCORD, MA — The Toy Shop in Concord is closing its doors for good after nearly 80 years in business. The store brands itself as America's first specialty toy store and has been open since 1942.

Shop owner David Hesel announced the closure on Facebook on Thursday. Hesel has owned The Toy Shop of Concord for 32 years, taking over in 1988 — he said he is planning on retiring. Hesel will spend his retirement enjoying the company of his family, WBZ News reported.

Ina Facebook post announcing the closure, Hesel wrote, "It has been a pleasure serving the Concord community for all of these years and I wish everyone the best in the future. My sincere thanks to all of my dedicated employees who have made owning The Toy Shop a pure delight. I will miss all of you."

The store briefly closed during the coronavirus pandemic, but offered curbside pickup.

The Toy Shop in Concord is located at 89 Thoreau Street and is slated to close on July 31. The store started its closing sale on Thursday, the same day of the announcement. The Facebook post was quickly swamped with over 120 reactions and comments.

You can reach Samantha Mercado at samantha.mercado@patch.com