The tradition is alive and well at The Mazel Company
The original Wisconsin Toy Company was founded as a wholesale toy company by Jack Cohen in Milwaukee.
After World War II Jack together with his son Phillip began traveling all over Wisconsin in a station wagon loaded with samples. In 1958 they were approached to sell to members of a local union who had gone on strike. Phillip suggested that they open stores for a few weeks where union members could buy toys at a good price. It worked so well that the wholesale operations ran by Jack was phased out and seasonal stores were opened. The stores were open Thanksgiving through Christmas and operated under the Union Toy name. By 1960 the stores had grown and new stores were open to serve the United Auto Workers members in Michigan.
Though a series of acquisitions and store openings, the company operated over 200 retail outlets in 1980 under names such as Job Lot Trading, Toy Liquidators, Everything-A-Dollar and Value Merchants.*
After years of selling under different names Wisconsin Toys name was brought back to life. In 2013, The Mazel Company acquired the company name and currently operates it as a division of their "closeout" company.
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