A-OK Toys

[Laughsmith]

Anyone remember A-OK toys?

They were distributed by the Arkin A-OK Products Co., and were generally found in grocery stores [[Chatham, Great Scott, Wrigleys, A&P) on hanging racks. Marbles, Detective Sets, Jump Ropes, Blow-Loons, Army Men, Play Slate Chalk Boards, Whoopie Cushions, Flying Saucer Guns, Magnetic Travel Bingo and many more. Always cheap, always fun.

Although the company was based in Novi, I vividly recall visiting my grandfather [[he lived on Addison near McGraw until the mid '70s) and seeing the top of a large factory -- with the A-OK logo -- from his front porch. The building had to be off Wyoming, just north of [[behind) the glass plant.

I visited the area recently and discovered that my grandfather's house is gone and tall brick walls and trees on the west side of Addison obscure the view. A quick spin down Wyoming near the Drive-in didn't help much either. There are warehouses there but nothing that I immediately recognized.

Some of the toys are labeled Arkin A-OK Products Co., Novi, Michigan, but there are older toys which indicate that the company was located in Detroit. Can anyone shed any light on this?

There was a fire at the Novi facility on August 28, 1976. The company, however, continued to distribute toys until at least 1991. It may have been even later than that but the most recent item I have encountered is a whoopie cushion from 1991. Beyond that, there is almost no other information available about the company. Hopefully someone here can elaborate.

If anyone is interested I will post a few snaps of some of the older toys.

-- Paul