Tesla Model 3 Maiden Voyage - Lark Toys - Kellogg MN

Years ago, when I was still working in the music industry, I had the opportunity to go to a toy factory. I was thoroughly excited as I had been told this was where many of my childhood dreams had been created. I imagined a factory filled with a mixture of machines and people, working away to their hearts content. The room would be filled with joy, as the workers would be excited to be a part of bringing children dreams to life. In a nut shell, I (ignorantly) imagined a scene like Santa’s Workshop.

When I arrived, I saw that my vision couldn’t be further from the truth. The room was essentially all robotics. The few workers that were there, were dressed in lab coats and all looked like they wanted to shoot themselves. My vision was quickly dashed as I went to a meeting and heard execs talk about song syncs and product placement, realizing that no one actually cared about the toys that they made.

This stop on my voyage reignited the flame that was lost that fateful day. Be rest assured, at Lark Toys, the dream of bringing joy to children through toys is still alive.

Lark toys is a small toy workshop tucked away in Kellogg, Minnesota, a little bit off of the Mississippi River. Part Toy-store, part museum and all awe-fulfilling wonderland, the feeling of joy associated with toys still lives inside these walls. Not looking like much besides a mini-golf course from the outside, upon entering, you are greeted by a whimsical guest book, asking you to join the documentation of the countless fantasies this building has brought into reality.

Walking down the halls, one becomes surrounded by cabinets filled with relics from their past, dreams from their parents past, and even some fantasies that only lived in their grandparents imagination. As they enter the different rooms, they are greeted by wood toys.

Wood toys.

I hadn’t seen anything like them in toy stores for years. The closest I would say, would be finding them at garage sales, but being able to buy them new? No way. And this brings me to the best part about Lark Toys. If you keep walking through the rooms, you will end up finding a workshop filled with machines and people, working away to their hearts content. The room is filled with joy, as the workers are excited to be a part of bringing children dreams to life. In a nut shell, it is like a scene from Santa’s Workshop.

I think I can now die happy.