Toy Pit collectibles store plans move to 38th and College

A vibrant pop culture mural newly adorns the front of a former Dollar General store at 3821 N. College Ave., signaling the impending arrival of the Toy Pit collectibles shop.

The Toy Pit, which has occupied spots in a light industrial building near the intersection of 96th Street and Interstate 69 since 2015, is on target to move to its new home by Halloween, owner Mike Schott said.

With a lease scheduled to end in February and rental fees on the rise, Schott said he decided to purchase the 13,500-square-foot building near the intersection of 38th Street and College Avenue. He plans to use 10,000 square feet for in-person selling of action figures and toys, with the rest of the space devoted to storage and online operations.

The Toy Pit’s present location, east of the flagship Books & Brews and north of a Home Depot store, is 5,000 square feet.

“The goal was always to buy a place eventually and have a permanent home,” Schott said. “We figured this might be the time, after years of preparing and years of saving.”

Schott opened a collectibles store known as Intergalactic Toys in his hometown of Fort Wayne in 2009. The business rebranded as the Toy Pit after adding an Indianapolis location.

The mural on the College Avenue building includes images associated with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mega Man, Dragon Ball, Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Transformers.

Kwazar Martin, an artist who has generated attention for his depictions of Caitlin Clark, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Richardson and Pat McAfee on a building at 1825 W. 18th St., painted the Toy Pit mural.

“Everybody, of all ages, seems like they’re happy about seeing that fixed up,” Schott said. “It brings a bright spot to that building.”

In contrast to the Toy Pit’s present spot, which Scott described as “a little more secluded,” the College Avenue shop is likely to attract customers who aren’t aware the store exists.

Schott said he’s heard friendly honks from motorists during the installation of Martin’s mural. The former Dollar General building—home to a Kroger grocery store in the 1950s—features a 65-car parking lot.

The store’s proximity to IndyGo’s Red Line, the Indiana State Fairgrounds and Blue Mind Coffee Roasting at 646 E. 38th St. are additional advantages, Schott said.

Inside the building, customers will find collectibles and toys dating from the 1970s to the present. Collectors can buy, sell and trade items at the Toy Pit.

Schott said a property such as Star Wars is multigenerational, spanning the original films of the 1970s and ’80s to prequel movies launched 25 years ago to Disney’s recent output.

“You’re getting grandparents, their kids and now their grandkids,” Schott said.

Thanks to more floor space, the Toy Pit plans to increase its selection of Lego, Barbie and Hot Wheels items.

“Anything that we dabble in or deal in now we can do bigger and more of it,” Schott said.

Forthcoming details about the Toy Pit’s opening date at the new store will be posted at yourtoypit.com.

According to listing broker Bradley Company, the College Avenue building sold for $970,000. Mitch Doner of Bradley Co. represented the seller, while Hamada Ibrahim and Kelsey Scheibert of HSI Commercial Group Inc. were procuring agents.