Inside an Amish Toy Shop (Conewango Valley, NY)
Raber Family Toy Shop
11363 Pope Rd
Randolph, NY 14772-9681
Have a look inside an Amish toy shop courtesy of Tom. This store is located in New York’s Conewango Valley, and as you can see below features a wide-array of Amish-made wooden toys.
I enjoy seeing the creativity that goes into some of these products. It makes me wonder what is the story behind each design. Â A lot of course are classics. Â Which do the Amish use themselves, which come about due to customer feedback and requests?
Toymaking is one of those fairy tale professions which captures the imagination. Â And “Amish toymaker” is a double whammy in that department. Â It seems like an Amish toymaker character would do well in fiction.
Where to find the store:
Raber Family Toy Shop
11363 Pope Rd
Randolph, NY 14772-9681
Amish Toy Shop
How interesting! Love the hand crafted and homemade items! These are truly “Made in the USA”! Much more durable than “plastic” things that are mass produced imported from foreign countries!!
Hats off to all of our local craftsmen!
SharonR
Amish made toys
In the picture with the ‘Apple note holder’, there are items just below the apples with mason/canning jars upside down, & with a small ribbon, as part of the item … what are they? Just curious if it is some type of bee/bird feeder-we use them in our starter hives for the bees. Thanks.
I think they are candy or bubblegum dispensers. Push a button and get a few M&Ms or other small candies. My husband had one in his store for customers.
Nic
They are M and M dispensers.
Wooden toy with jar inverted
Hi Nic,
No – those are candy dispensers! We had one for a while when we had young grandchildren. They do well with jelly beans or M&M’s and dispense a several candies when you pull the “tab” (not sure what to call it) out. It’s fun. Trouble is my husband ate most oft he candy. ha ha.
candy dispenser
I purchased the smaller of the two. I keep it filled with peanut m&ms. We go every year from Florida to NY. The Toy Store was our first stop. Their daughter Katie and husband have a wood turning business. Beautiful bowls. 3 bowls, one for me one for each sister from the same piece of wood! Also beautiful birdhouses. We have eaten with Dan and Sarah in their home. Homemade wood stove baked bologna! Dan died last year! Son Store keeps it going now. Lots of games!!!
Amish Toy Shop
Great post Erik! Many years ago my husband made the candy dispenser (like the ones you can see on the self just below the apple note-holders). Not the fancy knob but the same idea. We put M&M’s in in when the family(ies) come to visit. It is a huge hit with the grandkids (and their parents)… and we are asked about it if it is not out for them to use! They always look forward to it. The big kids/adults want the sweet but the liitle ones also love to operate it and watch how the candy ‘magically’ comes out the little shute!
Notice the prices are simply on the even dollar or 25 cents – no 99 cents to complicate the figuring and change-making.
In photos 3 & 6, we used to have a “bubble gum machine” like that. We filled the glass jar with marbles and turned the knob to dispense them. But the glass top broke.
Lin
The prices have the sales tax already included. so you pay the price and walk out with the item.
Oh, I love it! And such reasonable prices.
How fun – I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Amish toy store OR pictures from one! That was a fun post ~
Would love to get that horse swing! Those toys would last a lifetime. I still have a wooden airplane one of my kids got when they were little. Wooden toys are alot better than plastic for sure.
Wish there was an Amish toy store near me and I would be in there shopping.
Ordering another wooden horse swing
Hello,
I bought a wooden horse swing very similar to the one in the picture, while visiting family in the Nashville, Tennessee area. My relatives shipped it to me. My two grandsons have enjoyed it a lot. It however got broken, might have been by our lawn mower. I would like to buy another one to replace the first one.
Would it be possible for someone to send me an estimate of the cost of the swing, as well as the shipping cost, and the estimated shipping time?
Thank you for your help, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Margie Winters
Oh, I just want to eat that place up! Thanks for the post.
Loved the buggy and 18-wheeler truck. My Barbies would have been wheeled all over the house if I’d had that buggy or my brother that truck.
Thanks to Tom & Erik.
I have had the pleasure of going to this toy shop several times. It is one of my favorite Amish places to take the kids. They love riding on the wooden horse swing!
Tom, do you know the family that runs this shop? They are very nice. I am surprised they let you take pictures inside. They have a sign on the door that says no photos. Of course, that means no photos of the Amish themselves but I have always been shy to pull out my camera in this area whenever there are people anywhere near by.
Thanks for sharing the photos. My daughter was thrilled to see pictures of this shop. It is like visiting again!
Theresa,
Yes I know the family that owns the toy shop and I have a collection of “big boy toys” that they make. There is sign by the door and I think that it says “no pictures of Amish people”. I always ask if it is OK if I take pictures and most of the time the answer is Yes. I am sure you have seen the mouse trap toy and the disappearing coin toy. It is a fun place.
Thanks Tom. Interesting place.
Tom yes we have enjoyed all their trick toys ánd brain teasers. Years ago the older gentleman had my husband and I tied up in a rope trick that we had to try to get out of. Good thing my hubby is good at puzzles! Always fun to visit there and see their new offerings! Thanks again for the pictures!
tied up
Did Dan ever “measure” you? He laid a 6 foot length of twine on the counter. Told me to make a circle of how Round I thought I was. Held it to me, said Nope, too much!. Now hold the very end of twine. He pulled his thumb down, “now stop me when you think that’s how tall you are”. I stopped him at 4 ft 6 I thought. He looked at the length thoughtfully and said ” lay down on that bench”. He was going to see how close I was. ” Nope too short, hold it in your mouth”. I did! He said to everyone in the store, ” this is the first Florida Sucker I caught all day”! And there I lay with a string in my mouth! God bless them all!
Nearby
Nice Tom – I live about 4 miles from the toy shop – where are you?
Theresa,
Since you know the family that owns the shop – do they have a catalog?
I think a lot of us would like to purchase a toy or two…
Christmas is not far away.
I’m sorry, I meant to say Tom, not Theresa…
George,
I don’t think that they have a catalog. I will be in the settlement over Memorial Day weekend, please email me at tom.tktrading@gmail.com and give me an idea of items you would be interested in. I will email you pictures and prices.
Stoney Creek Toyworks
a very nice toy shop with all kinds of wooden toys is found close to Topeka , Indiana.
Lamar and Ruby Arlene Miller
7305 S 1200 W
Millersburg Indiana 46543
write to them for a brochure…
toys
Tom, do you have address that i can write to this toy shop i would love to ge the horse and buggy and few other toys? thank you Sherry
Toy Store
Hi Sherry – this Bob White and I live about 3 mile from the toy store.
It’s owned by Dan Raber and family.
11363 Pope Rd
Randolph, NY 14772-9681
Wood horse swing
Please send me the information where I can buy the pictured Amish wooden horse swing.
Great pictures Tom! Thanks for sharing.
Purchasing the apple note holders
How can I purchase the apple note holders?
looking for information on the wooden horse swing
I would like to purchase the wooden horse swing on this web site. I need some information on the price and can you ship to Illinois and what that cost would also be.
Thank you.
Contact info for the Amish toy shop
Sandy and others looking to buy from this store, we don’t sell their products via this site, but a reader higher up the thread shared contact info. I am assuming this is correct:
It’s owned by Dan Raber and family.
11363 Pope Rd
Randolph, NY 14772-9681
Don’t have a contact number, it’s a plain Amish community so very well may not be one. But if you want to try contacting them the old-fashioned way, you might write a letter.
Live Nearby
As mentioned before, I live nearby the toy store April – Nov and may be able to pick up some items for someone on the list that is interested and send. Contact me at white710@yahoo.com if interested.
Horse swing
Thank you so much Erik. I like the old fashioned way of doing things. I will contact them via US mail.
Sandy
Hours
Since we live about 2 hours away, can you tell me the hours and Days the store is open.
Hello
Please confirm if you accept Visa or Mastercard payment for an email order and private collection.
Regards
TROY
toy shop
is this business still open? I just saw its article. I am looking for wooden toys like a dancing dan or running doll. I also like those apple note holders. lots of nice things.
Hours of operation
Can you please tell me your hours of operation?
Rocking horse
I’m looking to purchase a rocking horse for a first birthday party.
Do you have any? I need by 2/16/24.