Toy Safari — Attraction in Alameda

This is purely a review for the Hot Wheels in the store. As an avid Hot Wheels collector who started collecting casually a few years ago (both in DLM and static open/sealed display), Toy Safari was a fantastic place for the "play-side" of me to find some really nice Hot Wheels cars from a few years back to pre-2000.

I happened to find this place with my family during a walk in Alameda after visiting the local arcade (fantastic place), and decided to check it out, just to see if they had some Hot Wheels. Didn't expect 2016 Batch M stuff, but maybe something nice.

How about AMAZING? Aside from a few Hot Wheels on the racks, there were three punch bowl-sized bowls filled with opened Hot Wheels and other diecast vehicles. I started grabbing all the cars that I really wanted after looking for some time, and nerded over the ones that I really didn't expect to see. Since these cars come second-hand, their conditions will vary, but it's not too hard to find some really nice ones. At 95 cents each, that's not bad at all. For those interested, these are the cars that I bought:

Porsche Cayman S (987), Lamborghini Murcielago 2002, Toyota Tacoma Pikes Peak (!!!), Ford Transit, Ferrari F355 Challenge, Ford Focus RS (First Edition!) (!!!!!), Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Ferrari FXX, Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera

Cars that I considered getting but didn't for varying reasons: IAD Alien, Toyota Celica Pikes Peak, Dodge Challenger SRT8, Ferrari 456M, Ferrari California, Lamborghini Urus, 1969 Dodge Charger

*Special Note: the cashier (the store founder's son) was very accommodating when I requested to buy the 987 Cayman and 355 Challenge, as they were actually just about to be purchased by the store from a customer's lot. No problems there.

All in all, great store to expand your collection of Hot Wheels to play with.

UPDATE: Took another visit because I was in the area. Talked to another cashier, and she said that people of all ages look through these bins ALL THE TIME. "New" stock comes in practically every day. This time, I bought: Ford Focus RS (again), Mitsubishi Evo VII, Shadow Mk IIa, SRT Viper 2013, Mitsubishi Evo X, Lotus Super Seven 1971, Morgan AeroMax, Ferrari 458 Italia,...

Racist shop owner!!! Don't shop here!!! Today in our Xmas shopping in Alameda - We had to teach our kids that Nobody has any right to discriminate against you based on your race or ethnicity.

Let them know that it is the world that’s wrong, not you. So embrace your identity and love what makes you, you !!!!

We decided to take the kids to the toy store in Alameda - My family was treated differently and unfairly because of their race. The owner fallowed my kids around the store- she was acting like they were going to steal something - she then confronted them and asked them to leave the store made them cry . When we told her that it was not ok for her to talk to our kids that way she also forced us out of her business. To force kids out of a toy store is just unacceptable behavior. Today a tough lesson was learned , that Racism can happen anywhere even to kids in a toy store. I will never come back to this store and encourage others not to support this horrible...

One by one, I witnessed all my childhood bay area toy stores disappear, but NOT this one! It's in it for the long haul! I don't say this lightly, but an absolutely UNPARALLELED selection of over 40+ years of toys old and new. (And NOS, which is something I've never seen elsewhere.) The staff is mostly one family and they're all really sweet.

I cannot think of another place where I can still buy Micromachines new in box!! (Galoob went bust in 1998 for goodness sake) not to mention original star wars toys 1970s-today, 70+ year old Lesney/Matchbox cars, LEGO kits back decades plus this year's kits side by side and an entire hardwood forests worth of BRIO wooden trains. If you want a specific LEGO Minifigure chances are you'll find it here.

I can't wait to return, cash in hand for a trip back to...