Independent toy store in Chiayi to close for good after 30 years

Independent toy store in Chiayi to close for good after 30 years

2025-10-06

Jurassic Toys in Chiayi has been in business for 30 years, with their first customers now becoming parents themselves. It was once the biggest toy store in Southern Taiwan and a local landmark, but with rapidly falling birthrates lowering demand, the owners decided to retire once and for all.

For the first time in a while, Jurassic Toys in Chiayi is seeing good business. But it’s because there’s a clearance sale.

Shopper
Buying toys on clearance
I brought my kid here today to pick out toys he likes.

Shopper
Buying toys on clearance
Kids are having fun choosing something, and parents are having fun shopping too.

Shopper
Buying toys on clearance
I think we had this in the past, so it’s like a way to say goodbye to a memory.

The lease is up for the 30-year-old toy store, and the owner says he’s ready to retire. But Taiwan’s low birthrate also has something to do with it.

Lee Ting-mao
Jurassic Toys owner
People don’t get married when they reach a certain age, and if they do, they won’t have kids. At most they’ll have one. I feel that it’s difficult to keep going under these conditions. I’m also getting old, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to retire.

In the store’s heydays, it once made a revenue of over NT$1 million in a single day, and also hired up to five storekeepers to keep up with business. Now, the daily revenue rarely exceeds NT$5,000, and only the two owners keep things running. In the end, they chose to close up shop.

Chen Hui-ling
Jurassic Toys owner
The greatest sense of achievement comes from when I see the kids beaming with joy. Just seeing them smile makes us so happy.

The owner says it makes her happy just to see kids joyous over a new purchase. But those days are coming to an end. Many locals are visiting the store, perhaps for the last time.

Shopper
Grew up with toy store
They’re closing up, so we thought we’d come here for one last time for the memories.

Shopper
Grew up with toy store
This plastic bag will no longer exist after the store closes, so I’m going to frame it.

The toy store plans to close up shop once everything’s gone. When that day comes, what’s lost will be more than the store and the products it carries. A piece of many people’s childhood will also become a thing of the past.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#DINK #agingsociety #toystore #business #Chiayi

不敵少子化! 嘉義30年玩具百貨宣布將熄燈

2025-10-06

陪伴嘉義人三十年的「諸羅記玩具城」，因為不敵少子化，生意一落千丈，老闆也決定退休，宣布即將結束營業。這家曾經是雲嘉南地區，最大的玩具百貨，承載了許多嘉義人珍貴的童年記憶，如今宣布清倉，也讓許多民眾趕緊前往回味，過去童年的美好回憶。

玩具城裡出現了久違的人潮，許多大朋友帶著小朋友，都來到玩具城裡，開心的回味童年的歡樂時光。

[[民眾]]
“今天帶小朋友來，挑他喜歡的玩具”

[[民眾]]
“小朋友選得很開心，然後爸爸媽媽也選得很開心”

[[民眾]]
“好像以前我們也有在玩這個，所以算是一個回憶的說再見”

開業30年的老牌玩具城，店租到期，老闆也想退休，不得不吹起熄燈號。不過最大的原因，卻還是少子化導致。

[[玩具城老闆李丁茂]]
“年紀到了不結婚，結完婚沒有生小孩，最多生一個，所以在這個情況之下，我覺得經營就有點困難，那加上年紀也大了，所以我想說藉這個機會退休”

最風光的時候，在過年期間，曾創下單日上百萬的業績，有四、五名員工忙裡忙外，如今一天做不到五千塊的營業額，只剩下老闆夫婦倆硬撐，只好宣布結束營業。

[[玩具城老闆娘陳惠玲]]
“最最最大的成就就是，看到小朋友開心的笑容，看到他們笑，我們就很開心了”

對店家來說，孩子臉上快樂的笑容，是過去30年來，店面全年無休，最大的動力。如今不敵大環境變遷，許多民眾也把握機會，再到玩具城來朝聖一番。

[[民眾]]
“快要歇業了，我們想說再來逛最後一趟，來懷念一下”

[[民眾]]
“他結束營業之後，就沒有這個塑膠袋了，所以我要回去把它裱框起來”

玩具城預計在商品售完後，就要正式熄燈，往後店裡恐怕只剩下，難以追憶的這段，嘉義在地人的，童年歡樂回憶。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Voice of Mr. Wang
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Mr. Wang brought Caramel here for short-term rehabilitation exercises. They didn’t impact other people exercising or harm the field—staff even inspected the grass afterward to make sure. But for safety reasons, the stadium posted notices forbidding large animals such as horses and cows, and plans to increase patrols in the future.

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Can’t find South African apples
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Think tank
Academically, this would be referred to as “exercising power,” which is built on your resources. Taiwan is a leader in the world when it comes to semiconductors, which make semiconductors a strategic resource. This resource can be weaponized to grant Taiwan power, in a way.

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