Zodiac Toy Shops

[Richard1978]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

I remember going in the Stockport one a few times, it closed in the late 1980s & the shop has changed a few times since, I can remember it being a Sue Ryder shop & it's now a salon.

I can't recall seem many other Zodiacs so I was never sure if they were a chain or not.

I did used to think that I could see a Zodiac frontage in the opening titles of Only Fools & Horses, or at least a shop with the same coloured facia as the Stockport one.

Did Zodiac make their own toys at one stage?
My sister once bought a naughts & crosses game from a jumble sale which was branded Zodiac.

[ziksby]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

Cracking ad .... must have been late '87 as there are 3 stores Colchester, Leeds and Southend listed at the bottom of the page which were not open when I left the company in July of that year.

[rossobantam]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

from 2000AD comic, 1987 IIRC

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

Zixsby, can you post any Action Man or Tommy Gunn pics? Thanks!

[sixtyten]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

That ad is from Warlord Comic 1979

[ziksby]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

Daz,
I don't remember that particular competition, but we did occasionally have "trolley dashes" in our large stores .. actually not a trolley, but as much as a kid could grab and carry in a given time.

Where was that ad from?

[Heather74]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

What a massive prize

[themaskofangel]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

Just thought i'd post on this as I spotted this site because of this topic and it has finally ended years of trying to access memories of my childhood to remember the name of the shop all this time and finally i know its zodiac, the worst torture is I now work exactly opposite where it was in the Doncaster frenchgate centre, sadly its now the upstairs of WHSMITH.
Have been on about zodiac all night at work and we have all been staring out of our shop window remembering it, Have been to your zodiac site and im very impressed thanks for this post if you should come across a picture of the shop front for the doncaster store id be very happy to see it, as i can still remember when Thundercats was all the rage and they had a promotional day with a guy dressed as Liono handing out Thundercats comics and talking to the kids in the store.
Thanks again for reviving the old memories.

[ziksby]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

Daz,

With that logo on the box it must have been mid 70s ... probably before our buyer learned to spell.

[sixtyten]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops



The Computer Quze? for dyslexics??

[ziksby]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

Hi David,

I left Zodiac in July 1986, but at the time I was in discussions with a leading design house for a new look for the Zodiac stores and logos. The new owners (Ward White plc) must have put some of the ideas into production as below you will see a mockup of the Portsmouth shopfront. The "ZODIAC" is identical to the one on the jigsaw.

Not sure whether this shopfront was ever installed in Portsmouth.

[davidthomas27]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

Not sure if this is anything to do with the toy shop, but this logo is from a 1987 jigsaw.

I also seem to remember "Zodiac Toys" being said in a robotic voice from somewhere - probably either an advert or an in-store announcement.

[bumblelady]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

yep that with postage is nearly £15, not worth it, i will keep looking,

[Heather74]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

Depends what your idea of a silly price is Bumble but one here on Ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BUILD-A-BETTER...ayphotohosting

[bumblelady]

Re: Zodiac Toy Shops

great games, i have been watching ebay for many of them, i have recently got animal smackers and still after build a better burger, ( for not a sill price though )

want snugglebumms also, got any piccys of them?