A new vintage toy store, offering collectibles from the 1980s to today, has opened in South Milwaukee
Walking into Immortal Toys and Collectables, 907B Milwaukee Ave., in South Milwaukee is akin to stepping inside a toy store from the end of the 20th century.
You've changed since then, but the toys mostly look the same — especially if they are still in box or “on-card” action figures.
Owner Fermin Burgos, a South Milwaukee resident, is proud of his collection of new toys from days gone by and he’s looking to share them.
He does offer loose figures, too, which can show some wear. While they don't have their packaging, they come with evidence of games played and memories made with previous owners.
Burgos wants to “bring nostalgia for what you had as a child.”
“Toys last forever,” he said.
The store specializes in toys from the 1980s and 90s
The soft open for Immortal Toys and Collectables is from noon to 6 p.m., Sept. 2.
Going forward, the store will be open Thursday and Friday from noon to 6 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Burgos is also willing to set up a special appointment outside store hours for people looking to sell or trade.
The goal of Immortal Toys and Collectables is to give collectors, and those who want to relive their childhoods, access to toys locally instead of having to go on sites like eBay, Burgos said.
The store is filled with collections including G.I. Joe, Superman, Batman, Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Hot Wheels, professional wrestling (modern and vintage) and more. Toys from movies like Small Soldiers and JAWS are also available and there is a wall of POP vinyl figures.
One of his pricier offerings is a large Marvel Legends Series HasLab Sentinel figure from Hasbro. He estimated he’d be selling it for $650.
The main area of the store is full, but Burgos said there is more room pushing back into the space. He said he could eventually also offer video games and comics — he has a few of the latter already available. However, his main goal is and will always be toys.
In addition to selling, Burgos is interested in buying vintage toys as well to add to his inventory.
Much of his current stock comes from many sources including Facebook, flea markets, antique stores and auctions. Burgos said pricing will be based on demand, but he hopes to sell items for less than is typical on eBay and hover around the cost seen in big-box stores for modern toys.
“I’ll do the best I can,” he said.
Burgos said he does have some modern toys but his focus is the 1980s and 1990s.
“I enjoy the toys of that era,” he said, adding he’s especially a fan of Superman and the Incredible Hulk.
Burgos turned his vintage toy passion into a small business
Burgos began collecting and selling about three years ago and really dove into it during the pandemic.
Burgos works for Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development and the new store is an extension of his passion. It’s his first business, and he credits his wife, Enilda Burgos, with pushing him to open it.
“I never would have thought of a store without her,” he said.
Before, he was holding auctions online via Facebook with piles of toys in his basement.
“It was his dream,” Enilda Burgos said of the store, adding the location was “meant to be.”
Originally planning to open in Bay View, Fermin Burgos spotted the South Milwaukee storefront — it's about five minutes from his house — for rent while driving home during the Fourth of July weekend. He called the owner expecting a voicemail due to the holiday, but they answered.
Soon after, Burgos was signing a year lease.
He said he’s glad to be part of South Milwaukee, a city he said has “so much potential.”
Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page and follow him on Twitter at @ES_Hanley.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Vintage toys, collectibles for sale in new South Milwaukee store
