Though north suburban toy store Parkway Presents does not open until 9:30 a.m., customers started customers started grabbing a spot in line outside the store shortly after 5:00 a.m. on one recent Saturday.
“When I got here at 8:30, I was bombarded by 200 people outside,” Lisa Smith said, the owner of the Northbrook toy store. “People accused others of line cutting, video recording, threatening each other and I honestly didn’t know what to do.”
On April 11, everyone was outside Parkway Presents for one reason: to get their hands on the newest NeeDoh toy released that day.
For Smith and her employees, what they faced that day was the final straw.
“I’ve been through a lot of crazes, between beanie babies, cabbage patch kids, Black Friday situations and I’ve never seen this,” said store employee Jamie Berkseth. “It is almost like mass hysteria in a way.”
Smith said one customer called the police on another customer, and officers responded.
That event has changed how the small business sells its most popular products. Parkway Presents announces when the shelves are stocked with NeeDoh via its social media pages, but Smith said she no longer gives customers advance notice.
“We are just trying to get through our days and plan for our NeeDoh drops on certain days when we have enough staff,” she said.
Employees said they see more unruly behavior from adults, rather than children.
“It’s a wonderful thing and for the most part, the kids are great,” said employee Julie Warshawsky. “It’s some of the adults that feel the need to make sure their child has it, that get out of control.”
The store takes at least 100 calls a day from people inquiring on the next release.
“We have to silence the phone sometimes,” Smith explained.
