Mass Ave Toys has closed its doors permanently after a 14-year run, the owner announced Wednesday.
The store had operated since 2017 at 1057 E. 54th St., in a 5,400-square-foot space at 54th & Monon Shops just off the Monon Trail. The independently owned toy store took its name from its original location, 409 Massachusetts Ave., where it operated from 2006 to 2017.
Owner Natalie Canull, who ran Mass Ave Toys with her husband, Doug, announced the closure in a Facebook post Wednesday, describing the move as a retirement.
Natalie Canull has more than 40 years of experience in toy retail—she operated another local toy store, Kits & Kaboodle, from 1978 to 2005 before opening Mass Ave Toys the following year.
“We avoided a lot of trends and a metric ton of licensed character toys in order to provide the kinds of playthings that would last, not only through your children’s youth, but that could be kept for future generations in your families,” Canull wrote in her post.
The Facebook post also thanked the toy stores’ many employees, sales reps and customers through the years.
“Thank you for sticking with us and being our friends … we hope we were yours,” Canull wrote to her customers.
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Terrific shop, good people. Will be missed for sure.
Wonderful toy shops! Both toy stores were a part of our family’s life. Many sweet memories shopping at Kit & Kaboodle with my now 28-year-old son when he was young. Later as he became an adult we still loved walking through on Mass Ave and finding unique toys. Thank you Natalie and Doug. Happy retirement.
Natalie, a great run from the days at Glendale, the Fashion Mall, Mass Ave and So Bro. Truly hope you and your family are prospering. Many thanks for a job well done! Jim Koch
My children had a favorite outing to the Glendale store to visit Charlotte and collect a toy, many of them are carefully preserved for a new generation. You have been an important part of our community and I wish you well.
Natalie and Doug ran a storybook store and memories of it and all the items procured there will live in forever. Thank you Natalie & Doug for giving us the precious memories .. I am so proud of what you did for us all and the beautiful store you had for us all & the children! Have fun in retirement from day to day in the store… it was difficult, but you spread smiles and joy over the city for so many years! Nick Hrisomalos
Terrific store and people. It will be missed.
I’ve loved the store since Glendale days. I guess nothing lasts forever but I’m sad this is the end of an outstanding enterprise. Best wishes in retirement.
I remember shopping at Kit and Kaboodle as a child… and later shopped at Mass Ave Toys for my own children. What special places your shops were, with the types of heirloom toys you stocked and the magical atmosphere you created. Thank you for being part of our family’s lives over generations.
Some of my fondest memories of my children (now grown) are of them playing with toys from Mass Ave Toys.
Bittersweet closing for us. Our daughter turns 40 in August and Natalie’s store has been a part our lives since day one in the Glendale Galleria, the move to Keystone Square and finally reconnecting with Mass Ave Toys when our granddaughter was born twelve years ago. Her ‘forever toys’ will be a part of our family for generations to come. Best wishes to Doug and Natalie for a happy retirement.
Thanks for the focus on PLAY! It’s how children learn.