Low Prices Add to the Joys of Toy Shopping
Shopping for toys is more fun when you can buy them at bargain prices. At L.E.C. World Traders, prices on most items hover around wholesale. A four-car sport-racing set, Jumbo Charger, with 7 1/2 feet of track, retails for $24 at most stores, but the tag here is $9.90.
A Galaxy electric game (battery operated) is $13.90 instead of the $30 retail price. From Mattel, a Barbie in a blue dress holds a bluebird that sings; the tag is $14.80. At many places you’d pay $33 for this item.
L.E.C. is virtually jammed to the rafters. It’s more like a warehouse, and the prices on just about everything are lower than at most stores. Figure 50% off the selection of games and stuffed animals.
But the sturdy rockers with different motifs--Mickey Mouse, Dalmatians, Winnie the Pooh and others--take the prize for the best deal. These usually sell for around $85; L.E.C.’s price is $39.
L.E.C. World Traders, 240 N. 1st St., Burbank.
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For a selection of toys you won’t find at most stores, and toys that are geared to learning, consider Inteliplay. The prices here are not discounted, but the high quality of the products makes them a bargain in my mind.
Robotix is a robot that the child builds; when complete it is operated by remote. This is for children 7 and up, and the prices range from $33.95 to $109.95 for a complete set.
Talking Globe from Educational Insight is one of the best learning toys of the year. This large globe poses questions like: “The Nile is a river in England. True or false?” or “Which continent is France in?” The item is so popular that many customers prepaid for the globes before they arrived in the store. At $99.95, that’s devotion.
Sports Dynasty is a game I haven’t found anywhere else. It’s a board game similar to Monopoly, only instead of real estate the game involves sports teams and players. Sounds like a game parents would enjoy playing with the kids. The price is $24.95.
Inteliplay has three stores in the San Fernando Valley: 14425 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 906-2133; 20929 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, (818) 883-2133; and 11163 Tampa Ave., Northridge, (818) 368-2163.
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Weekend Super Sale: On Friday and Saturday, it’s 25% off everything at the Clothing Factory, an outlet for a local manufacturer of casual and comfortable cotton knitwear separates. The inventory is mostly for women, but there’s a small selection of exercise apparel for men. With 25% off outlet prices, it’s a bargain hunter’s treasure hunt. The Clothing Factory, 6831 Tampa Ave., Reseda; (818) 609-7219.
