No 'Joes in Fleet Farm Toyland, again.

If I had to put a bet that there would have been 'Joes in Fleet Farms Seasonal Toyland this 2013, I would have bet at there being none.   I still had to go check out Toyland, though, and for the first time on opening day before the store opened at 7AM.   I waited until the (for this size town) large line of people at both doors were all in before getting out of the car, too.

I was hoping to see some GIJoe at Fleet Farm, still.   A week ago I was in the bigger city 35 minutes down the road from here, hoping to see some GIJoe on the shelf, but my old hunting grounds (various big box stores, etc.) there from a few years ago were all bone dry.  

Here in town, the GIJoe hotspots are the Walgreens, with one Renegades Snake Eyes and one wave 1 Retaliation Snake Eyes.    And Walmart with THREE earlier wave figures in the clearance aisle at $6.50 each now.

I was hoping Fleet Farm would come through, 2010 had some Joes,  2011 was even pretty good.  2012 was a bust.  2013 gets added to the bust list.


On a positive note, there were some interesting looking Apache style 1/18 Helicopters and F-22 style jets from the company called Motor Max.   They were higher priced, had some less than good looking figures, but without being able to hold the plastic, actually looked pretty darn cool.  The Motor Max website doesn't have these pictured, but this is the same company that makes the way under-scaled mini copter and jeep with sort-of-3.74" limited articulated figures.  There was also a big military transport set with a dual trailer hauling two armored vehicles.

I almost bit at that Apache chopper, but with the Motor Max company name on the less desirable products on the shelves next to it, for the price it was hard to tell if the plastic quality was going to be good.   Or if it would have any "rugged" play value to it, ya know?  Anyone ever get one of these?

Edit:  Fleet Farms flyer (which wasn't delivered in our local paper) online (page 34-35) has these pictured, has anyone bought these?  The following photos are from Fleet Farm advertisement, not used with permission.

 $24.89 each.

Either way, the Fleet Farm Toyland was fun to check out.   There wasn't much in the way of deals, though, that I could find.   There must be some kind of rural cultural thing ingrained around here where Fleet Farm Toyland has the best things for the kiddies at Christmas, at the best prices around.

Well, I hope Fleet Farm keeps counting on these locals to NOT price compare at the Walmart next door.  The way some people were loading up carts like they got the hot deals of the year, I mean, I wanted to tell them that the prices were actually lower at Walmart at that very moment on what they were buying.   Mostly since I had just been in Walmart checking everything out before going to Fleet Farm.  I was under the impression that the SEASONAL Fleet Farm Toyland was geared at big deals?

Maybe saving money isn't part of it, maybe it's not the hot deals, the coolest toys..., maybe it is more just the tradition in late October to bulk up on Christmas toy gifts around here?


Well, I am not a true local, after all....







Random Trivia
A non toy product comparison of an exact same thatching rake:  Fleet Farm $28.98 vs. Menards $14.96.