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Best Toy Shop Whistle Stop Hobby & Toy For more than five decades, Whistle Stop Hobby & Toy has been the heart of the community, offering exceptional customer service, a wide selection of toys, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Recently crowned “Best Toy Store,” Whistle Stop stands out by prioritizing customer care and personal attention. “I think the No. 1...

Woods Woman, Granddaughters Publish Children’s Book Anytime J. Lee Burke visits her grandchildren in Ann Arbor, she’s bombarded with pleas to help them with their next book.Burke, along with three of her five granddaughters, ages 8 and younger, co-authored “Can I Tell You Something?” The children’s book, which was published last month by Archway Publishing from Simon & Schuster, includes...

Click Here For Video There is nothing like sitting down with a fresh jigsaw puzzle displaying a beautiful image that you are about to piece together. It is calming, rewarding, and magical. But the magic doesn't come from just taking time for a relaxing afternoon. The real benefits are how your brain and body engage on different levels. The benefits...

The fourth annual Team Jake toy drive, benefiting Children’s Hospital of Michigan, is in full swing and runs until Tuesday, Jan. 31. The drive takes place in honor of Jake Pennar, who at age 9 lost his battle with a rare brain tumor in January 2021. Several toys already have been donated to the drive, which began Dec. 31. “Our...

Polar Express Still Delights Youngsters Santa Claus made a special stop in St. Clair Shores on Saturday parking his sleigh and taking time to read to a group of children at Whistle Stop Hobby & Toy, Inc. Santa sat in a special chair at the front of the store and read Chris Van Allsburg’s Polar Express to a group of...

No matter the state of the economy, Toyology Toys founder Nori Klar always hires additional staff for the holiday shopping season, but not so much this year. That additional staff — at least three or four employees per store — is vital for Klar's stores in Royal Oak, West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills. About 50 percent of Toyology's revenue comes...

Top 10 List of Toys for Future Artists, Engineers, Philanthropists & More Ivory Szatkowski placed the stethoscope on her doll’s heart and listened. Then she smiled and took her doll’s temperature.  That was good, too.  So, the inquisitive 4-year-old reached into her medical kit to see what else she could use while pretending to be a doctor like her mom...

Click Here For Video In the last couple of weeks, I've been reporting on how Black Friday deals are rolling out early, even before Halloween.  Because of that, I wanted to take a look at some of the hottest toys this year for all you early holiday shoppers out there.  I stopped by Whistle Stop Hobby and Toy in St. Clair...