How very rockin' that this place is several rooms of decent toys, a lot of which are educational. Their pricing was ok too, about market rate, I say. No insanely crazy markups. They gift-wrap and... More

How very rockin' that this place is several rooms of decent toys, a lot of which are educational. Their pricing was ok too, about market rate, I say. No insanely crazy markups. They gift-wrap and was able to offer a wooden block set my nephew adores and so he had one extra gift to open for his birthday. I'm happy with them, and happy there is another alternative to Toys R Us. Sad there is no more of that large toy store downtown though, I thought that was pretty cool.
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I love Talbots, they carry, bikes, trains, and all those hard to find toys. This store is always a life saver for me at Christmas time, when you can't find that right toy anywhere else. Can be... More

I love Talbots, they carry, bikes, trains, and all those hard to find toys. This store is always a life saver for me at Christmas time, when you can't find that right toy anywhere else. Can be pricey at times.
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From dolls to trains to baby items Talbots has the best selection. They carry toys you might not find at lets say target. They have a very helpful staff and will wrap your presents for you a... More

From dolls to trains to baby items Talbots has the best selection. They carry toys you might not find at lets say target. They have a very helpful staff and will wrap your presents for you a christmas time.
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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... More

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. 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. Oh, yeah.... and they'll hold your Christmas gifts until Christmas Eve! PROS: fantastic selection, great service, not a chain CONS: no discounts, save on bikes.
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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... More

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.
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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... More

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.
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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.... More

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.
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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... More

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.
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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... More

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!
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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... More

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
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