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"I Want Toys!"
San Joaquin Valley Toy Hunt
Vol. 1, Stockton

By Greg Severi

Ok, so you want to know a quick route to make a small toy run on your lunch break? Here is a quick and easy route to take if you are in central Stockton.

If not, this route is easy to access from I-5 and if you are coming from 99 then you'll just have to reverse the route. Once the new Target opens at 8 Mile and I-5, we'll have to do some adjusting to the route. Depending on whether or not you have a 30-minute, 45-minute or 60-minute lunch, you'll have to pick the places where you'll have the most luck.

Stop #1. I personally like to start at Target on March Lane and Pacific Ave. For quickest access, you should park at the Garden Center if it's open. Depending on the time year, sometimes it's open and other times it's not. If the Garden Center is open, try to park as close as you can. Most stores have their Garden Center next to the Toy Department. Once you go through the Garden Center, you'll notice the Toy Department is to the left, also make sure you check the back end caps, as there are always toys that are on clearance, and sometimes you can get a pretty good deal.

Stop #2. The next place I like to hit is Kmart at Robinhood and Pacific Ave. Again, depending on the time of day, you can cut through Delta College bytaking the frontage road north which is Burke Bradley Rd.

Now here is a little side bar, Stop #2a. I personally dislike Kay-Bee Toys, but sometimes if I'm really hunting I'll hit it just on that one chance they might have something. If you'd like to go to Kay-Bee, then while you are on the frontage road, head east to the light which is Yokuts Ave, to Weberstown Mall. Park behind Sears next to Lenscrafters and then head in like you are going to Lenscrafters. Once you go in the doors you'll see Kay-Bee right in front of you. Now back to Kmart! If you are coming from Target and not going to Kay-Bee, then keep heading north past the fire station and you'll run into Robinhood. Cross Robinhood and you'll be in Kmart's parking lot. It's best to park in front and once you go inside, the Toy Department will be to your left. If you are coming from Kay-Bee, take Yokuts back to Pacific Ave., turn north on Pacific and then left on Robinhood, you'll see Kmart on your right.

Stop #3. Toys R Us recently moved, but it's still on the way to our last stop. Get back on Pacific Ave and head north to Hammer Lane. If you have enough time and are really in the hunting mood, there are three stops on the way to TRU that you can check.

Stop #3a. is Tower Records at Pacific and Ben Holt. They have some Japanese toys and some other random, yet cool, assorted figures.

Stop #3b. is Rite-Aid in the same parking lot as Tower Records.

For Stop #3c. just get back on Pacific Ave. and head north to Hammer Lane. There is another Rite-Aid on the northwest corner of Pacific and Hammer. Now on to Stop #3 TRU. The best bet is to get on Lower Sacramento Road, as it turns into Pacific once it crosses Hammer. Make a left on Hammer Lane and you'll see TRU on the right. This is their new location and the parking lot is a MAJOR pain the butt. So be prepared to have a parking nightmare if it's busy there.

Stop #4. The last stop on our little toy route is WalMart. From TRU take Hammer Lane east towards 99. It's about 4 miles from TRU, and there really isn't much in the form of toy stores, except for a Big!Lots on Hammer and West Lane and a 99 Cent Store across the street from Big!Lots. If you have the strength you can stop there. If not, keep on heading east on Hammer to WalMart. Like Target, it's better to go in through the Garden Center, since it's next to the Toy Department. That's it!! You've just completed the basic Stockton toy run. The route will change soon, like I mentioned before, once the new Target opens, but for now this will get you to the best spots for toys in Stockton.

Depending on where you are coming from, you can take 99 back to your place of employment or if you are closer to 99 than I-5 you can reverse the route and you'll end up by March and I-5. Then you'll have to do some shuckin' and jivin' to get back to 99. It may take some time, but it can be done. Happy hunting!