Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop

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445 S B St (at at E 4th Ave)
San Mateo, CA 94401

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(415) 802-0986
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Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Talbots Toyland & Hobby Shop - San Mateo, CA
Reviews
( 31 )
( 25 )
( 7 )
( 1 )
( 1 )

Best

Excellent selection, lots of high quality stuff. Loads of fun to visit- an entire section of trains for playing with and gigantic stuffed giraffes... carries all sorts of stroller...

Worst

A little too pricey!

A great, old fasioned, well stocked toy store 7/15/2006

Remember long ago, before dinasours roamed the earth, before Toys R Us and the other chains had swallowed up the well run, well stocked, local toy store? You know, the one that had the great selection of model trains in every guage, the well stocked plastic model department and an amazing collection of Corgi toys? The one that had a doll department with so many dolls of all varieties that it made a little girl's head spin? The one that had a great selection of kids books and old fashioned board games? Well, that family run toy store still exists in downtown San Mateo and it's Talbot's.\r \r No Nintendos or Playstations, but an abundance of wooden toys and rockers, a well stocked bike department (they'll build 'em for you) and a nice selection of yard toys like playhouses and jungle gyms. You'll see the big ferris wheel of made of K'Nex in the window or the 8 foot tall Bear (from the Big Blue House). On the corner of B and 5th in downtown San Mateo.\r \r Oh, yeah.... and they'll hold your C more

Best Toys / Bike Shop Around 5/8/2006

Talbot's Toyland is a local institution. Generations of families go to Talbot's for great toys, models and help chosing a wonderful bike for any age. You will always get help finding the right bike for your size and need. No pressure, just great service and products. Toys, baby items, bikes... PROS: Wonderful selection, the best service. CONS: Prices are not discount, just wait for sales if price is your priority. more

The best toy store on the peninsula 5/5/2006

Talbots has an amazing selection of toys. Most are well made and the kind of toys you want to keep in the attic until your kids have kids. There are no Barbies, but beautiful dolls. There are trains and Tonkas, and remote control airplanes. They'll even adjust your kid's bike just right. The best part is it's right on the train line, so you can take the train there -- an extra treat for the kids. PROS: Great selection of toys right on the train line. CONS: They have a sucky Santa more

Best toy store in the Bay Area 4/25/2006

This is by far the best toy store in the Bay Area. It has a wonderful selection of quality toys, helpful staff, and lots of toys for kids to play with while you shop (including 3 train tables with lots of trains, a doll house, ride on toys, and playground equipment). more

Toys, hobbies, and baby gear 3/5/2006

Talbots not only carries a HUGE supply of toys, hobbies, models & trains, but also rivals Babies R Us for strollers and other assorted baby/kid gear. In fact, they seem to have the largest selection of higher-end stroller brands on the peninsula. The store is also not too far from the Caltrain station, so it's a fun outing to take the train to Talbot's. more

User review from LilaGuide.com 1/8/2006

The Peninsula's best toy and bike store. Very friendly, extremely knowledgable staff and fantastic selection. A really FUN toy store even for the parents! more

User review from LilaGuide.com 1/1/2006

Talbot's is a parent dream. They are friendly and have great customer service. It is also very kid friendly. more

Not your typical mass-market toystore 11/28/2005

LOVE LOVE LOVE this toy store. I'm not quite sure of its history but I believe it is a family-run business. It is a big store but not as big as Toys R Us but big enough to hold all the stuff you might be looking for. They do carry some mass-market items that are popular at the moment, though. They have an extensive selection of collectible and play baby dolls, model trains, bicycle department, outdoor playset section, wooden train sets, a huge baby department complete with strollers/carseats/high chairs. They have a nice selection of books, some small knick-knack toys you'd find at a dime/dollar store, animal figurines... a lot of nostalgic type toys at this store. And you always feel good here. The kids like to run around in the back section of the store where the bigger toys are, also. PROS: Nice selection of toys! CONS: None, really. more

Talbots is great 11/27/2005

Talbots has a really wonderful selection of toys for newborns and up. I have purchased blankets there and a trike for my kid. She also loves to play in the section of dolls and their accessories. Prices are high but you already know it when you enter the store. more

Great place for models! 11/17/2005

This place is the closest thing I have found to a quality model shop in the northern peninsula. They have an excellent amount of modelling materials as well as a knowledgeable staff willing to help with any questions you may have. The toy store also attached to the modelling section is a kid's playland! While not as big as one of those chain stores, they do seem to have all the toys that will make a difference in a child's mental growth. Great store! more

Good Hobby Store 11/11/2005

The name of the store is Talbots (Toyland) but they are really a hobby shop. That's where the strength of this store lies. They have an incredible selection of scale model cars. They have the biggest selection of miniature trains and accessories I have ever seen and I've visited quite a few hobby shops. No way ToysRUs or any other store even comes close in the miniatures category. They also have an excellent selection of minature furniture, miniature houses, miniature people, etc. Of course they also have the usual assortment of board games, dolls, RC cars, boats, YugiOh, they also have a bicycle shop where they sell and repair bicycles. The biggest con shopping here is the price. The prices aren't that much higher than you would find at say ToysRUs or Target, but are definitely more expensive overall. more

Wow! Toys! 11/2/2005

Talbot's toyland is a wonder for any child to behold. From the first steps inside my kids are instantly mesmorized by the wondeful assortment of toys. The store seems a bit crowed to the eye, but it is rather easy to navigate once you start to focus on what you are looking for. They have a good eye for toy selection, so my kids can always find something that interests them. more

User review from LilaGuide.com 9/13/2005

a little more expensive than your average toy store, but the products are unique, high quality, and timeless more

Shopping here feels good for you and your kids! 8/7/2005

First of all, this is an independent toy store, the last of a dying breed. True, they don't have big sales like TRU and Target and some items are higher everyday, but they stand by their products, they have a knowledgeable staff who seem interested in helping you find the right toy, doll or bike and they gift wrap! (can you say that about a chain?). You can find all the big brands (Little Tykes, Radio Flyer, etc) here, but you'll also find unique items - my son loves the wooden painted duck walking toy we bought here, he also has a cool wood/plastic bank from here. They have a great baby gear section too, so shopping for baby showers is easy. The aisles are wide, so your kids can try out the ride ons or the dress up stuff without disturbing anyone. What I like about Talbots is their commitment to the community. During the holidays, at the very least, they allow schools to host a fundraising night where parents and grandparents can buy toys and a portion goes back to the school. more

Much better than a chain toy store! 7/29/2005

Talbots has been around for over 50 years because it's awesome. It has four distinct sections -toys, hobbies, bikes and baby department. Each is pretty well stocked, and you always find fun and unique things there. There is also sections just for train and doll collectors. I'm all grown up, and I still like to take a walk through it when I'm having a bad day!! PROS: friendly people work there, some of them for decades! CONS: sometimes hard to find parking, it's in the middle of downtown more

Great selection but HIGH prices 6/10/2005

Talbots toyland has the greatest selection of toys. From dolls to trains to bikes to climbing gear this store has it all. They carry all of your toy and baby needs but they tend to be more expensive. This is the store to go to when you just can't seem to locate that special toy! more

Toy store for kids of ALL ages 6/6/2005

Talbot's Toyland is not just a regular toy store. They don't just have toys, also a baby department, hobby & model department, dolls, collectors dolls, bikes, outdoor toys, kids vehicles and playhouses and so much more. Their selection of toys is incredible. You can't believe the variety found in this store. You can find very high quality brands there which you don't find in other retail stores. It truly is a toy store for children of all ages. The staff is very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. The prices are not higher than the big retail chains. They do have special sales and you can get on their mailing list for special events. PROS: Great selection, quality brands CONS: local store more

User review from LilaGuide.com 5/31/2005

Great toy store, especially if your child loves trains, dolls or bikes. Also, a great selection of strollers and car seats. You can just visit and have a fun time too. It is nice to have a large, quality products toy store that is not a retail chain. more

User review from LilaGuide.com 5/15/2005

Not the friendliest toystore, but they have EVERYTHING. more

User review from LilaGuide.com 4/27/2005

Talbots has everything for the infant to the adult. An extrodinary toy store. From carseats, strollers, toys, trains (toddler and model railroad) to bicycles. This store is a treat for everyone. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Santa even takes a break from his toy workshop to visit in December. They also have fundraisers to help local schools. more
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Owner Message
  • Established in 1953, Talbots Toyland is a store specializing in toys, hobbies and bicycles. Its toy department offers a variety of games, puzzles, action figures, stuffed animals, buildings and interactive toys and a large selection of children s books. Talbots Toyland s baby department offers various products for babies, including high chairs, infant toys, bottles, bottle warmers, monitors, diaper bags, potty seats, bathtubs and nursing pillows. Its doll department sells a full line of doll clothes, furniture, strollers and accessories for the customer s doll collection. The company offers traditional toys by Hasbro Toys and Games, Mattel, Step 2, Fisher Price and an extensive selection of specialty toys, such as Bruder, Learning Curve, Lego, K nex and Leapfrog.. Gift Wrapping

Additional information
  • Hours: M-Sa 9:30-6, Su 11-5
  • Neighborhoods: Downtown, Central San Mateo, Shoreview, East San Mateo
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