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Just Because- Revisiting My Trip To The Mego Warehouse

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  • Wee67
    Museum Correspondent
    • Apr 2, 2002
    • 10586

    Just Because- Revisiting My Trip To The Mego Warehouse

    I was nerdily paging through the John Bonavita's MegoHeadtoys section in the Museum's Library and I came upon his trip to the Mego Warehouse in Bohemia, NY. It made me think of my trip there about 10 years ago. It inspired me to break out my pictures because... well, just because.

    Dan "Superunderdoggie" had called me to say he had contacted the current occupant, Rite Aid (Rite Aid has since sold off the property), asking if we could come in to search for the legendary Mego Mural that was supposed to have been left in the lunch room. The warehouse manager was confused, but curious enough to say yes. Dan was on Long Island for business so I drove out from the City to meet him. When we pulled up, it looked pretty much the same as in John's pictures



    As we entered the lobby, I couldn't resist grabbing a pic of Dan with the Hulk and Superman. I think the paneling must be left over from the Mego days-



    The manager was incredibly nice but he was still taken a bit back. He even gathered his staff together to greet Dan and I where we tried to explain the building's history, the mural and why two grown had driven an hour on to Long Island with dolls from their childhood. None of them remembered Mego. Nor were they impressed with Mego Museum cards we handed out as little thank you's for letting us in. But he did tell us there is a mural!

    He was also kind enough to take us around the property. We were hoping to find something left behind like a box of pens or maybe some business cards, but nothing. There was no sign of Mego, but it was geeky cool to imagine the building teeming with Mego goodies. And it was fun to put Batman, Superman and Hulk back on the shelf from where they may have come-





    And yes, there was a Mural. Unfortunately, it was not the Mego Mural. This mural is of a person sitting on bench next to a sidewalk. Clearly this was not the Mego Mural of legend with all off its licensed characters. In fact, it was even dated 1984... a year after Mego closed it's doors.



    We were able to clear one mystery for the Rite Aid folks. During the tour, the manager showed us a loading dock outside. They had to stop using it because it looked like the driveway in front of it was beginning to collapse. You can see it towards the bottom right of this pic



    We were able to explain why (or at least propose a why based on Mego lore). This building was one of two Mego used back in the day. The other, now owned by Nature's Bounty, was across the street. When the money was flowing freely for Mego, they built a tunnel between the two buildings to move merchandise back and forth during the winter or in inclement winter. When Mego sold off the property, they simply sealed off the tunnel and sold the buildings separately. It seemed the the years and weight of truck after truck was stressing the integrity of tunnel. It might have collapsed. Of course, I couldn't help but imagine Mego also sealed the tunnel off with a forklift loaded with a palette of figures. I pictured one day putting on my Indiana Jones hat and opening up the tunnel to find it lined with cases filled with Mego goodness. Yeah, yeah, but a nerd can dream.

    Nature's Bounty, BTW, would not let us in so the mural might still be there in all its glory. Some day.
    Last edited by Wee67; Mar 12, '19, 10:17 PM.
    WANTED - Solid-Boxed WGSH's, C.8 or better.
  • EMCE Hammer
    Moderation Engineer
    • Aug 14, 2003
    • 25679

    #2
    As much as I love this story in its original form, could you add a strong female lead and a cliffhanger ending? It's for research..........

    Comment

    • Wee67
      Museum Correspondent
      • Apr 2, 2002
      • 10586

      #3
      Originally posted by EMCE Hammer
      As much as I love this story in its original form, could you add a strong female lead and a cliffhanger ending? It's for research..........
      Typical executive (or administrator), ruining the purity of my art in search of appealing to lowest denominator (see said administrator).
      WANTED - Solid-Boxed WGSH's, C.8 or better.

      Comment

      • Wee67
        Museum Correspondent
        • Apr 2, 2002
        • 10586

        #4
        FOOTNOTE-- About a month after our visit, the manager reached out to say he discovered a trace of Mego. In fact, two traces. On a wall, he found what looked like two stamps determining where merchandise was supposed to be shipped (at least, that's what I assume it was for). A Museum member says he was aware of the Kansas destination as a JC Penney's warehouse. It wasn't the Mego pen or the letterhead or the forgotten case of figures left in a closet, but it was still pretty cool.

        Mego Warehouse Stamp#1.jpg

        Mego Warehouse Stamp#2.jpg
        WANTED - Solid-Boxed WGSH's, C.8 or better.

        Comment

        • ScottA
          Original Member
          • Jun 25, 2001
          • 12264

          #5
          That is still a pretty rad story.
          sigpic WANTED: Boxed, Carded and Kresge Carded WGSH

          Comment

          • EmergencyIan
            Museum Paramedic
            • Aug 31, 2005
            • 5470

            #6
            Love that story and the chance that something is still left there from Mego. Compelling.

            - Ian
            Rampart, this is Squad 51. How do you read?

            Comment

            • kisscash
              Veteran Member
              • Feb 7, 2006
              • 473

              #7
              Loved this share. ...and hey Indy, I'm in!

              Signed,
              Short Round.
              sigpic

              Comment

              • jwyblejr
                galactic yo-yo
                • Apr 6, 2006
                • 11141

                #8
                Originally posted by Wee67
                FOOTNOTE-- About a month after our visit, the manager reached out to say he discovered a trace of Mego. In fact, two traces. On a wall, he found what looked like two stamps determining where merchandise was supposed to be shipped (at least, that's what I assume it was for). A Museum member says he was aware of the Kansas destination as a JC Penney's warehouse. It wasn't the Mego pen or the letterhead or the forgotten case of figures left in a closet, but it was still pretty cool.

                [ATTACH=CONFIG]25051[/ATTACH]

                [ATTACH=CONFIG]25052[/ATTACH]

                The cool part about the Montgomery Ward's one is imagining if that's where they kept the AE stuff.

                Comment

                • PNGwynne
                  Master of Fowl Play
                  • Jun 5, 2008
                  • 19444

                  #9
                  It was great to read this again, I think it should somehow be archived at the museum--maybe in a field studies wing of the library?
                  WANTED: Dick Grayson SI trousers; gray AJ Mustang horse; vintage RC Batman (Bruce Wayne) head; minty Wolfman tights; mint Black Knight sword; minty Launcelot boots; Lion Rock (pale) Dracula & Mummy heads; Lion Rock Franky squared boots; Wayne Foundation blue furniture; Flash Gordon/Ming (10") unbroken holsters; CHiPs gloved arms; POTA T2 tan body; CTVT/vintage Friar Tuck robes, BBP TZ Burgess Meredith glasses.

                  Comment

                  • Confessional
                    Maker & Whatnot
                    • Aug 8, 2012
                    • 3410

                    #10
                    I always love when there is sharing of Megotravelogues of all kinds. The fun audacity of it all is archive/gallery worthy.

                    Comment

                    • David Jackson
                      New Member
                      • Oct 17, 2013
                      • 12

                      #11
                      Cool story...I was thinking the same thing about the Parkdale factory here in Toronto, Ontario and going in to search for any remnants of Mego...maybe someday I will have a similar story.

                      Comment

                      • Marvelmania
                        A Ray of Sunshine
                        • Jun 17, 2001
                        • 10392

                        #12
                        Loved this story 10 years ago and love it just as much today!!!!

                        Comment

                        • WannabeMego
                          Made in the USA
                          • May 2, 2003
                          • 2170

                          #13
                          I wonder what Mego would have been like if most of the avid Museum Members were Employed by them...oh the possibilities
                          Everyone is Entitled to MY Opinion...Your's, not so much!

                          Comment

                          • cjefferys
                            Duke of Gloat
                            • Apr 23, 2006
                            • 10180

                            #14
                            Still a great story, nice to hear it again.

                            Originally posted by doubled69
                            Cool story...I was thinking the same thing about the Parkdale factory here in Toronto, Ontario and going in to search for any remnants of Mego...maybe someday I will have a similar story.

                            I'm sure that a certain someone here has carefully mined the Parkdale link long ago.

                            Comment

                            • samurainoir
                              Eloquent Member
                              • Dec 26, 2006
                              • 18758

                              #15
                              Bill, thanks for sharing this story! it is really cool.

                              On my trips to Hong Kong, I've imagined trying to locate the factory there, but I'd think that it is long gone without a trace given the churn in buidlings/real estate there over the decades.
                              My store in the MEGO MALL!

                              BUY THE CAPTAIN CANUCK ACTION FIGURE HERE!

                              Comment

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