After 15 years serving our local community from our Vineyard Town Center location, Thinker Toys Morgan Hill is permanently closing. Our flagship store at 7th & San Carlos in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California will continue as it has since 1969, now as our only location. You can continue to get updates on our instagram & tiktok. Thank you to all of our amazing customers, the generation we have watched grow up.

 

The Morgan Hill location ran at a small loss, which we happily subsidized with tourist income from Carmel. Truly this space was an act of community service, and we are deeply grateful for all our amazing staff over the years, the vast majority of whom worked for minimum wage and a love of toys. Thank you to our Land Lord John Kent of Pacific Oak Properties, who generously subsidized us with below-market-rent for the entirety of our time in Vineyard Town Center. Unfortunately, like so many, this year we learned our subsidy would be lost: Kent has decided the center would be better served by Monterey Credit Union. The toy store will be replaced by a bank. Kent has assured us this is not because of because of our commitment to visibly supporting LGBTQIA people, nor is it about money. As evidence it was not personal he said if this bank had asked for Booksmart's space or any other currently-below-market-rate small local business space under his purview it would have been them instead. But they wanted our space, so we are closing.

 

We have not been able to find a retail space of any size in Santa Clara County that we can afford in the long run. We are not the only small business in this position. It is not the fault of a single person but the real estate system. This is the mechanism by which gentrification occurs. The only way small, independent, community-oriented businesses can survive is via the willingness of a Land Lord to accept "below market rent" - an inherently precarious position. "Market rent" is set by financial institutions and fast food - soon that is all that will be left. These systems were not made to serve us. We join a long list of beloved small local businesses lost, including Chacho's which was demonized by Morgan Hill's mayor for hosting drag shows.

 

The Vineyard Town Center store was founded out of a desire to provide thoughtful toys and simple indoor play space for the diverse people in the Horner's hometown - toys for ALL. Since opening in 2010 we have carried dolls of many skin tones, picture books depicting a wide range of diverse identities, stim toys for neurodivergent people, and other items catering to historically under-served communities. Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility have always been at the heart of choosing what specific merchandise to platform in this space, down to the messaging on each individual pin. We have also donated regularly to local nonprofits and school charity events to support our community's needs.

 

In 2016, when employees expressed concern about a rise in hate speech, we posted signage that explicitly designated us as a Safe Zone: this space RESPECTS all aspects of people including race, ethnicity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, age, religion, body shape, size, and ability. In 2020 Thinker Toys was Small Business of the Year, and Holly Horner spoke passionately against I.C.E. at the Celebrate Morgan Hill Awards, imploring attendees to do what they could for families in our community being torn apart. Then pandemic shutdowns changed everything and she assumed formal ownership of the business. In 2021 we added Black Lives Matter and Trans flags to our front window and had our best sales ever. In 2022 we won the Western Toy and Hobby Association Retailer of the Year Award. Over the last five years, this little store has grown into a real safe space for LGBTQIA people. Our educational QUILTBAG display is our pride, and has allowed us to support the work of dozens of queer artists and other small manufacturers. Especially for those often cut off from the acronym: transgender people, queer people, intersex people, asexual people, there is real power in representation. We see you. You are real. You are valid. You are loved. You are our community.

 

As we lose our physical base in Santa Clara County, we remain committed to doing whatever we can to support our community. This means we will be working to get booths at local street festivals (especially pride!) around the region and are open to other "pop-up" events. We would also love to see you at our remaining physical location at Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, which is just as committed to stocking diverse merchandise.

 

Clearance Sale

 

50%+ OFF EVERYTHING IN-STOCK at the MORGAN HILL location ONLY through May 4th, 2024.

 

No holds. No transfers. Cannot be combined with any other discounts, coupons or offers. Whenever two discounts are available, the better deal will be honored. 50% is minimum guaranteed savings, greater discounts may be available.

 

Don’t forget to come visit us at our iconic location at 7th & San Carlos in Carmel-by-the-Sea! Email carmel@thinkertoys.com or call (831) 624-0441 for more info!

 

To those of you who read this whole letter - thank you. As our inventory clears out, there will be more and more empty space in the store.

 

We have decided to focus that space into the center of the store and start adding tables & chairs with games & coloring pages. Please use these spaces to hang out and meet each other. Bring fliers for your nonprofit groups.

 

It is so important to make connections in this time, to not lose track of community. Make friends, and take time to cultivate your existing friendships outside the bounds of social media. Make plans to meet, somewhere physical if you can: a park, library, local coffee shop or bookstore.

 

All we have is each other; we keep us safe.