Causing long lines due to large demand is the general need, it seems, in Naperville…for Needoh.
The old toy has gained new popularity this year, and Naperville toy stores are struggling to stock their supply.
Increased demand for NeeDoh from new releases, social media
“It’s been crazy. It’s a lot of fun, but we get upwards of 50 calls a day looking for NeeDohs and dumplings and other squishies,” said Michael Kristula, owner of Treasures in downtown Naperville.
NeeDoh — a sensory, squishy toy — was first introduced in 2017 with its “Groovy Glob.” But it gained new traction at the start of the new year with recent releases.
“I think it was definitely triggered by social media and influencers that perhaps got their hands on some of the newest styles of NeeDoh sooner,” said Colleen Johnston, owner of Learning Express in Naperville, “because they came up with some really cute styles this year that were the Nic-Sicle, that looks like a popsicle; the Nice Cream Cone that’s, of course, an ice cream cone; the Jelly Squish that’s a jellyfish; there’s a Squeezza Pizza, several others.”
NeeDoh drops lead to hour-long lines
Both shop owners tried announcing “NeeDoh drops” to alert their customers to new merchandise. But the rush of people led to lines down the block, and the storeowners found the demand hard to handle, with instant sell-outs once stock arrived.
“I thought, oh, let’s go transparent, and we will start notifying our customers in advance of when the shipments are coming,” Johnson said. “That worked out well at the beginning, until we literally had hundreds of people at least a half an hour to an hour before opening on days that we were dropping.”
“We had a line from our front door that extended around our building and very far down the block. We tried to make sure we got everybody NeeDohs that were waiting in line. There were some people waiting up to two hours to get into the store,” Kristula said.
Naperville toy owners find ways to manage
To manage supply, Kristula now shelves his stock in small amounts to prevent selling out immediately.
Johnston switched to making “surprise drops” by bringing out new merchandise while people were in the store.
“We did just a quiet surprise drop the other day, and that felt much more joyful for everyone in store, as well as for me,” Johnston said. “We genuinely want to get the products in everyone’s hands. I love a surprise drop where we got to see everyone smiling in stores when we pulled out whatever just arrived.”
Giving NeeDohs to kids needing sensory toys
Since NeeDohs are sensory toys, Kristula and Johnston both prioritize getting them to kids and educators who need them.
“I put a little package together for a therapeutic day school for kids with autism. I delivered it. I just felt like it was one of those things that it’s getting to the point where even the kids that really need them for their IEPs or things like that, you’re not seeing them get a hold of them,” Kristula said.
“I was a school psychologist prior to opening this store, and my heart, of course, is for kids with special needs of any sort,” Johnston said. “So we’ve done a drop for special needs, neurodiverse, and even significant medical needs. That is super satisfying to me, to make sure that we’re getting the products in the hands of the kids that really also still desperately need it in hard times.”
NeeDoh creates joy through toy hunt adventures
But another type of satisfaction comes from the search itself, Kristula said.
“Honestly, it’s about the bonding time, not necessarily the item that you’re looking for,” Kristula said. “It’s more about the adventure and fun that you’re having with family and friends. I love seeing moms and daughters come in and be like, ‘Oh my gosh, they have them.’ And, I mean, like, I brought the box upstairs one time, and I swear, I thought I saw a girl almost pass out. She was just so excited and elated. And it’s just, it’s fun to see that joy over an item, because we all had it when we were kids.”
Pretty neat-o indeed.
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