Rochester's ABC & Toy Zone to close on May 28

Jeff Kiger, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read

Apr. 24—ROCHESTER — Rochester's most popular toy store —

ABC & Toy Zone

— will wrap up its "Going Out of Business" sale at the end of May, clearing the way for a new toy shop to move into that space in the

Miracle Mile Shopping Center.

In February, ABC owners Steve and Rene Nordhus announced plans to close and retire from their shop at 122 17th Ave. NW in the Miracle Mile center. Since then, they have been running a store closing sale.

This past weekend, they confirmed when ABC will officially close its doors.

"Our last day open for retail will be Sunday, May 28," they posted on social media. "You still have time to bring in your grandkids, relatives and friends when visiting Rochester next month."

While their 30-year run of selling Lego, Playmobil and more will end on May 28, the space will be handed over to a new tenant —

Twin Cities-based Legacy Toys

— on July 31. Darci Fenske of Paramark Real Estate handled the deal to line up Legacy to replace ABC in Miracle Mile.

Legacy carries the same lines including brands such as Lego, Playmobil, Schleich and Melissa & Doug plus its own Legacy-produced toys. It also features a large offering of candy on its shelves.

"People will be very happy with the brands we carry," said Legacy owner Brad Ruoho. "Our focus is on educational content, like classic wooden toys that will last generation after generation. We believe your children are your greatest legacy. We want to provide that family experience that you can pass on again and again, so we focus on things that are built to last."

Once the space is under Legacy's control, a remodel of the 10,000-square-foot shop will start.

Legacy, which started in 2012 in Ely, is known as an experiential toy store with large play areas and unique elements like life-sized animal statues, sand tables, waterfalls and animatronic dinosaurs. The Rochester store is expected to feature a 2,000- to 3,000-square-foot play/party area.

The hope is to open Legacy in the ABC space in the Fall. Once Legacy has revamped the Miracle Mile space, Ruoho hopes to have a team of 15 to 20 employees on staff when the new store's doors open.