Dreams of stepping back into the '80s and '90s are alive in downtown Gresham — with a new store set to open that is all about celebrating nostalgia with toys and collectibles.

The store is being run by a Gresham family, with 14-year-old Luke serving as the face of the new business. He first dove into the world of classic toys and characters during movie nights with his dad. They would watch classics like "Rocky," "Gremlins," "The Goonies," Tim Burton's "Batman," "Big Trouble in Little China" and more.

That passion moved from the silver screen to the toy chest — with the father/son duo starting an amateur collection of vintage toys. That provided a spark that would eventually turn into the Gresham Toy Shop, with that early collection now on sale on the shelves. They also connected with a distributor to fill out the merchandise.

Shelves are filled with amazing pieces. The Gresham Toy Shop has Hot Wheels, trading cards, movies, comics, and board games. There are Care Bears, My Little Ponies, and action figures from properties like Star Wars, He-Man, The Dark Crystal, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pokémon and more. Some of Luke's favorite things on display are the Transformers toys.

The displays will also rotate based on what is popular. For example, when the new "Dune" movie releases later this year, the store will display some classic toys from the universe.

The hope is for families to explore the store and help bridge the gap between generations, with parents telling their kids about what they grew up playing with. Luke is also looking forward to sharing his passion with those who visit.

"It's fun to talk to customers and be a geek for the day," Luke said.

Eventually, the shop will put some rare pieces on display — described as "Holy Grails" of collectibles. While on sale, those will be more for people to admire when they visit. Also, anyone with private collections are welcome to sell those pieces to the Gresham Toy Shop, with all used toys being thoroughly cleaned and restored before going on display

Grand opening of the Gresham Toy Shop is from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, March 1, at 126 N. Main Ave. The first 50 visitors will receive an exclusive, free Superman comic.

If you go

What: Gresham Toy Shop

Where: 126 N. Main Ave.

Hours of operation: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday

Phone: 503-489-5631

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