San Francisco store stocks up on new 'Star Wars' toys

Wayne Freedman Image
ByWayne Freedman KGO logo
Thursday, September 3, 2015
San Francisco store stocks up on new 'Star Wars' toys
"Star Wars" frenzy is about to hit toy stores in the Bay Area and around the country.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- In the Bay Area, the nation, and even the world there's a Star Wars buzz. And it's all brought on not only by a new movie to be released in December that we can watch, but also by what we can hold. Have you ever heard of "Force Friday?"

Gather yourselves, an invasion is coming. It's the dark side, the evil empire. And in this case their proxies, which are any toy company with a Star Wars license.

If you've been watching a YouTube feed or television around the globe, you may have already seen some of the items unboxed and ogled over in multiple earthly languages.

At the San Francisco Disney store, however, they remain under lock and key until midnight. Same at a Target in Colma.

But not on San Francisco's Haight Street, where a store called Super7 will have eight boxes of items for sale beginning Friday.

Luke Martinez, no relation to Skywalker, manages the place.

"We're playing on the things that people have grown up with and still hold true inside of us," he said.

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Certain toys that precede Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, due in December, have drawn interest and a neverending procession of Star Wars devotees like Kevin Garcia, who awaits the new memorabilia and also craves the old.

"I think just having the stuff that made me happy, like when I was a little kid watching Saturday morning cartoons, that's what really gets me going," he said.

Some of the items from a previous generation and movies are now worth three figures. Go figure that.

"The old stuff is worth more because there is a finite amount, they're not making anymore" said Martinez.

True. But it's not new, hence the anticipation.

In any language, may the sales force be with you.

The toys will be available on Sept. 4. Select Disney stores in the U.S. will be opening their doors early for "Force Friday" to give fans the first opportunity to purchases toys and collectibles from the film.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Disney Consumer Products, Lucasfilm, and this station.