Two NC specialty toy stores shut
March 2, 2009—Independent retailer The Toy Chest will close at the end of March, according to local media reports, the area’s second specialty toy store to go under in recent weeks.

Upper Deck cancels Yu-Gi-Oh events
March 2, 2009—Upper Deck has cancelled its sponsorship of organized play events for its Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game following a court-imposed injunction related to its ongoing fight with Konami over rights to distribute the product line.

Target to downplay discretionary categories
Feb. 26, 2009—Stung by double-digit drops in its Q4 and full year 2008 profits and with comparable store sales slipping, Target said this week it would increase shelf space for non-discretionary product categories in a play for cash-strapped shoppers' must-make purchases.

Hasbro expands gaming accessories deal
Feb. 26, 2009—Hasbro has expanded Performance Designed Products’ rights for video gaming accessories based on the toymaker’s properties in a new multi-year, international licensing agreement.

Celebrity chef endorses Jakks' food play line
Feb. 26, 2009—Celebrity chef Duff Goldman, host of Food Network’s Ace of Cakes, has signed on to endorse Jakks Pacific’s new Girl Gourmet Cake Bakery food play line.

CBB Group recalls 39K toys; some for lead
Feb. 25, 2009—CBB Group, City of Commerce, Calif., is recalling a combined 39,000 units of five products because they either pose a choking hazard or have surface paints that contain excess levels of lead.

Nick places international efforts under one exec
Feb. 25, 2009—Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer has given Jean-Philippe Randisi oversight of all of the company’s operations outside of the U.S.

Activision plans 'Bakugan' video games
Feb. 24, 2009—Activision Publishing signed an agreement with Nelvana Enterprises to develop and distribute video games based on the Bakugan toy and television franchise.

Marvel sets record but slide expected for '09
Feb. 24, 2009—Marvel Entertainment recorded record net sales and income for 2008, fueled by DVD sales of its Iron Man feature film, and despite a double-digit drop in licensing related revenue. But 2009 will be a different story, the company admits.

Bandai names CFO
Feb. 23, 2009—Former Disney executive Paul Hausback has joined Bandai America as chief financial officer.

Toy Bank takes in $250K at Toy Fair 2009
Feb. 20, 2009—The Toy Industry Foundation’s The Toy Bank initiative collected more than $250,000 worth of product at the conclusion of the 2009 American International Toy Fair.

Action Products adds development service
Feb. 19, 2009—Action Products International has begun offering a turn-key supply chain management, product fulfillment, and marketing and sales service for start-up or similarly small toy companies.

Jakks adds Hello Kitty rights
Feb. 19, 2009—Sanrio has appointed Jakks Pacific as its principal North American toy licensee for the Hello Kitty brand.

Jakks profits in '08 despite Q4 shortfall
Feb. 18, 2009—Jakks Pacific saw its annual sales grow 5 percent in 2008—despite a 6 percent drop in sales during the year’s fourth quarter—on its way to a $76 million profit.

Show Buzz: Toy Fair 2009
Feb. 17, 2009—After a busier-than-expected start on Sunday, the 2009 American International Toy Fair has settled into a rhythm in subsequent days. Traffic has ebbed and flowed, exhibitors say, with most buyers seeming “serious” about restocking their shelves, if not necessarily writing orders on the spot. One thing we can say about today’s attendance: the day ending lines for shuttle busses back to area hotels were decidedly shorter than they had been on Sunday and Monday.

Bakugan takes TOTY awards
Feb. 15, 2008—The Toy Industry Association handed out its Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY) tonight and the big winner was Spin Master for its Bakugan Battle Brawlers Battle Packs, which took home two awards, plus Property of the Year honors for the Bakugan property overall.

Show Buzz: Toy Fair 2009
Feb. 15, 2009—Toy Fair at New York’s Javits Center began today with what was considered by many to be a pleasantly surprising start.

Digital Blue adds Bakugan electronics
Feb. 13, 2009—Youth electronics maker Digital Blue has teamed with Cartoon Network Enterprises for a line of Bakugan electronic products for the property’s core audience of boys ages 6 to 11.

Mattel ties into 'Avatar'
Feb. 13, 2009—Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising has appointed Mattel the master toy licensee for James Cameron’s sci-fi film Avatar.

Lego sets sales records in 2008
Feb. 13, 2009—Lego Systems achieved a record 38 percent jump in U.S. consumer sales in 2008, the building toy maker said today. The North American division of Denmark’s privately held The Lego Group attributed the results to “a well-balanced product portfolio, healthy retail partnerships and the brand's heritage and reputation for quality play materials and long-lasting play value.”