Family & Pets
Dinosaur Farm: A South Pasadena Toy Store Since 1994
A songwriter's second act became a specialty toy and book store on Mission Street, recognized from Pasadena to Buzzfeed.
By Local Bongo Editors
The Dinosaur Farm is a specialty toy and book store at 1510 Mission Street in South Pasadena, California. It was founded in November 1994 by David Plenn and his wife, Shelley Stephens.
David had been a successful full-time songwriter and guitarist before opening the store. He and Shelley decided a toy store would be a good fit for the community after their son Taylor was born.
From songwriting to storefront
Soon after the store opened, Shelley started a career in museum store consulting and David took over the store. David said, 'I loved being a dad. I just love kids in general, so I was happy to take it over.'
Shelley jokes that when people ask how the toy store is doing, she says, 'Toy store? You mean Dave's Clubhouse?'
Murals on the walls
An employee at the time, Lynnette Chambers, an established artist, painted prehistoric jungle murals on the store's white walls.
The next generation and Wednesday Story & Song
Taylor, David's son, is slowly learning how to run the store. Taylor is a saxophonist and flautist, and sometimes teams up with his dad to play music for the Dino Farm's Wednesday Story & Song time.
What the store carries
The store describes itself as 'not your ordinary toy store.' It offers the staples expected in an educational toy store plus unusual items.
The store sells a Dinosaur Farm T-Shirt featuring a hand-drawn image by employee Isabella for $19.99, and a Dinosaur Farm T-Shirt (Unicorn and T-Rex) featuring a hand-drawn image by customer Maeve for $19.99. It also sells a Dinosaur Farm Digital Gift Card starting at $1.00.
The website includes a 'Shop by Category' section with categories such as Bestsellers, Trending, Toys, and Books. Digital gift cards are available.
Recognition and survival
Since opening over 30 years ago, many toy stores have disappeared, leaving the Dino Farm as one of the few that haven't gone 'extinct.'
The Dino Farm has been recognized locally by Pasadena Weekly, nationally in USA Today's Top Ten Indy Toy Stores, and internationally on Buzzfeed's list of 17 Toy Stores in the World That Will Change your Kids Lives. It was named Retailer of the Year by Toyfest West, by WTHRA.
The store was featured in a Pasadena Weekly article titled 'Dino-Mite!: Toy shop continues its legacy.' The website includes a 'Read the Articles Here' section linking to articles about the store.
Practical details
Store hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The phone number is (626) 441-2767.
The store offers free gift wrapping and rental space for events.
Customers can purchase items online and pick them up at the storefront or ship them directly. Items are carefully packed by the store's team and shipped using reliable carriers. At checkout, customers see the ordered item's description, price, and delivery time. Where available, customers can choose a faster delivery method for an additional fee. Delivery times vary depending on the selected delivery address, item availability, and time of day the order is placed.
The website includes a 'Delivery Info' section with information about delivery and returns, a 'Get directions' link, and a 'Report Abuse' link. The site is powered by Lightspeed.
Good to know
Where is Dinosaur Farm located?
The store is at 1510 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030.
What are the store hours?
Monday through Saturday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Can I order online?
Yes. Customers can purchase items online and pick them up at the storefront or ship them directly. At checkout, customers see the ordered item's description, price, and delivery time. Where available, customers can choose a faster delivery method for an additional fee. Delivery times vary depending on the selected delivery address, item availability, and time of day the order is placed.
Sources and how we reported this
This profile is based on the businesses' own published information and aggregate themes from public reviews. It is not a hands-on review: Local Bongo did not visit, test or receive anything from the businesses named, and no business paid to appear.
