Quirky story replacing Karavel Shoes on Burnet

Toy Joy is getting a new, larger space on Austin’s north side for its unique selection of toys for the young and young at heart.

The July 1 move will give the almost 36-year-old company roughly twice as much space, with a free-standing 6,000-square-foot building at 5501 Burnet Road in the Brentwood/Allendale area. It’ll replace the Toy Joy at 4631 Airport Blvd.

The company also has a downtown location at 403 W. Second St. and a spot in the airport.

The lease on Airport Boulevard was coming to an end after five years and leaders were considering renewing, said Teghan Hahn, CEO and co-owner of parent company Wild About Music Inc.

But Hahn and her team found an opportunity to move into a higher-traffic area with a larger, standalone building on Burnet Road. The corridor is a hub for independent local businesses — companies near Toy Joy’s new location include East Side Pies, The Peached Tortilla, Hat Creek Burger Company and Austin Pottery Studio and Gallery.

“Even though moves like this are always hard and expensive, we’re still just getting back on our feet after the challenging years we have all been through,” Hahn said in an email. “We felt this move was important to help jump start the future for Toy Joy and our company again.”

Toy Joy will be replacing Karavel Shoes on Burnet. The new location will also feature for its sister business, Yummi Joy, which offers candy, ice cream, fudge and coffee.

Toy Joy has a 10-year lease with a 10-year renewal option. Karli Gary with Don Cox Company and Evan Deitch with Endeavor Real Estate Group brokered the deal. The building, owned by Adams Burnet Partners Ltd., was appraised this year for tax purposes at more than $5 million.

“This new location will feature an ‘events loft’ where we can better host regular gatherings of game and hobby enthusiasts like Dungeons & Dragons game nights, Gundam model-building groups, toy swaps, birthday parties, and more,” Robby Pettinato, partner, chief operating officer and principal toy curator, said in a statement.

It will be run by longtime manager Ana Elizondo and be overseen by Toy Joy and Yummi Joy group manager Andrew Guinn.

Toy Joy and Yummi Joy are part of a local retail group that also includes music store Wild About Music on Congress Avenue and Austin Rocks on West Second Street.