Discovering Easton: Crackerjacks

Is there anything better than a toy store before the holidays?

I remember pouring over the shelves of toys when I was a kid, running down aisles, and soaking in the magic as fast as I could, like my time inside was precious. And in a way, it was. How many of us can take our kids to an honest-to-goodness toy store in 2024? Not the toy aisle of a big box store or an Amazon page, but a bona fide toy store?

Well, thanks to a little shop on Washington Street called Crackerjacks, I can.

If the giant playmobile figure out front was any indication, Crackerjacks is a local toy store overstuffed with toys, games, stuffed animals, and so much more that makes it feel like the toy stores of my youth.

Which makes sense because it’s been in business since 1979. It’s served as a beloved stop for two generations of kids now, and looking around the shelves, they seem well-suited for kids today.

Christmas shopping for my kids is no problem. They’ve terrorized the shelves of Crackerjacks a few times already. But mine are one and three, not picky customers when it comes to toys.

What impressed me the most about Crackerjacks is the amount of trendy plushies, toys, and collectibles that even my teenage nephew loves. Heck, me too for that matter. Those plushies are adorable, it’s a chicken sandwich, get it?

It’s a well-curated, stocked toy store in a cute downtown and a minute’s walk from a great coffee shop. It’s every parent’s dream and should be on every parent’s radar as we head into the holiday season.

In a world where magic is hard to find, shopping small with places like Crackerjacks is more important than ever. See you there!