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By Nicholas Esposito and Brian Harmon
Rob Maurus wants his new toy store in Miller Place to look like KB Toys, and, in at least one way, be like the NFL.
“I want it to have that feel of a classic KB — very organized, clean, and just your eyes go everywhere kind of thing, seeing all the bright colors from the toys,” said Maurus, an East Patchogue resident set to begin his second weekend in business with Lost Toys.
“I’m going to be open on the weekends. I want the store to be something people look forward to, like their favorite team playing on Sunday. I want customers to be like, ‘Oh, my team is playing on Sunday. The family needs to get the kids together to go to Lost Toys this weekend.'”
Lost Toys, located at 451 Route 25A and open at noon on Saturdays and Sundays, is about creating excitement and being part of a special outing, he added.
With dad in his heart
For Maurus, a lifelong collector of toys, comics and cards, the opening of his new shop is more than just a business venture; it’s the realization of a dream decades in the making.
Located in the same shopping center as GameOn, the vintage video game store he’s managed for years, Lost Toys offers a curated selection of vintage collectibles, each carefully chosen to evoke nostalgia and delight among customers.
Growing up in East Patchogue, Maurus’ love for toys was sparked by his late-father, who would reward him with trips to KB Toys or Toys “R” Us for helping around the house.
“I became a completist early on,” the Patchogue-Medford High School alumnus recalled, describing how he would search high and low to collect entire sets of action figures and cards, long before the days of eBay and Amazon. “I’d have two of everything — one to play with, and one to keep in mint condition.”
That passion for collecting followed Maurus through the years, even during times in high school and college when it wasn’t exactly “cool” to have action figures displayed in his bedroom at home or on the walls of his college dorm room. During those times, he continued to collect “in secret,” he said.
Now, as the owner of Lost Toys, he’s excited to share his love for these vintage treasures with the community.
A nostalgic experience
Walking into Lost Toys is a step back in time. The store, which opened Aug. 17, features a wide array of vintage items, from graded comics that include such iconic issues like the first appearances of The Punisher and Doctor Strange to hard-to-find action figures that look like they just came out of the box in the 1990s.
“I found some stuff people were keeping in Toys “R” Us and KB Toys bags with the receipts,” he said. “I was giving out the bags with the purchases. I have a stack of receipts — I look at them, and I’m like ‘Wow, these were a $1.99 each in 1994!'”
Making it happen
While Lost Toys is a solo venture for Maurus, it’s deeply connected to his time as a manager at GameOn stores in downtown Patchogue and Miller Place, where he learned the ropes of retail and developed relationships with many of his customers.
“I’ve made so many friends just being at the store,” he said. Opening his own shop was a natural next step, especially when a space in the same shopping center as the Miller Place GameOn became available.
The store not only offers a chance for him to share his treasures with others but also serves up warm memories of the joy and wonder he felt as a child, walking into a toy store with his dad.
“When I closed up on Sunday night, I took a step back and thought, ‘Wow, I actually did it,’” he said.
Lost Toys has already become more than just a store, Maurus said, noting that collectors and families alike are connecting over their shared love for vintage toys and comics.
“I see guys coming in with their kids, showing them the toys they grew up with,” he said. “It’s happening faster than I expected, but it’s great to see.”
