If you think all yo-yos are created equal, then you obviously have not stepped through the door of YoYo Heaven.
The recently opened store on North Main Street has just about any yo-yo imaginable, and if it’s not there, owner Andy McBride and his son, Dan, can get it.
“We like yo-yos. That’s kind of the crux of it,” said Andy. “We just really enjoy the sport.”
The walls of the small, but appropriately-sized store are covered with yo-yos and other skill toys for all ages and abilities.
The prices range from $5 to $150 for yo-yos, and the McBrides are there to put the perfect one in your hand. The father and son had been selling skill toys online for quite some time, but felt it was time to add a storefront into the mix.
“It had to be the right spot,” said Andy. “This is the right size and it’s the right location. It’s just right.”
When they found the opening downtown, it provided the right place to expand their passion for skill toys. While yo-yos dominate not only the name of the store but also the inventory, the McBrides also sell AstroJax, Kendamas, TechDek (fingerboards) and a variety of juggling supplies.
“We’re all about skill toys,” said Andy. “As long as it doesn’t plug in and need the internet, we consider it a skill toy.”
Andy has been a casual yo-yoer since his childhood, but Dan has taken his passion for the sport to the next level. For the last year, Dan has been competing as a professional and, in turn, is the yo-yo master of the store. And not only will the McBrides find the right yo-yo for your interest and skill level, they will also teach you how to use it.
“Yo-yoing is something anybody can do,” said Dan.
“We’re not just here to sell you a yo-yo. We’ll teach you how to use it,” added Andy.
The McBrides had a lot of the toys before the store’s Oct. 1 opening because of the online business, so getting things up and running went quickly.
“Once we decided to do it, it didn’t take too long,” said Andy.
YoYo Heaven offers some of the best products in the industry, which has helped attract many from the yo-yo club community. There is a yo-yo club in Manchester, and the McBrides have seen quite a few make their way to the new store.
“Usually on Saturday mornings we have a few kids come through the door and show off their new tricks,” said Andy.
So if it is time to replace that old yo-yo or you are interested in learning a new skill, the McBrides have you covered. And before you know it, you’ll be walking the dog and rocking the baby in no time.
