CAPTION: (Left to right) Toy Depot co-owners Mark Buckley and Geneva Nisly along with window designer Glenn Shoemaker (back) and another staff member pose with the first-place Downtown Window Decorating trophy, presented by Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce Downtown Manager, Sarah Diamond. CREDIT TOY DEPOT
By Kate Irelan
Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce Downtown Hutchinson manager Sarah Diamond announced the winner of the window decorating contest today, and the Toy Depot was voted as best window for the 4th time in 5 years. Mark Buckley, co-owner of Toy Depot with Geneva Nisly, said that it was an honor to have the award, and he gave a history of the display and the contest.
“Glenn Shoemaker makes all of our window displays. People think it is me, but it is not,” said Buckley. “We work hard to make it festive.” The Toy Depot specializes in vintage toys, and the Christmas window display not only has vintage toys but also has Hutchinson history in it. “The Santa in the window came from the Wiley department store, and the elf came from the Pegues,” said Buckley.
“We bought a new tree this year with LED twinkle lights. The window display has a toy train and an animated 3-foot-tall doll. We still have the box that the Santa is stored in, and if you look closely at the Santa, it looks brand new,” said Buckley. He explained how he obtained the Santa. “Beth Harmony had a beauty shop at Avenue A and Main Street. She bought the Santa from the Wiley Department Store when it went out of business. When Beth passed, her brother contacted me. I bought the Santa from him, but the motor to animate him was broken. It needed a new gear which is not made anymore. Next year, Santa will move again. I have a machine shop making a gear.”
Buckley said that he honestly did not think he would win the window contest this year. He said, “The window displays up and down the street are gorgeous this year, especially in the 100 block.” He has a friendly rivalry with Kevin Rule, owner of the Sleep Shoppe. “I am proud we beat the Sleep Shoppe this year,” said Buckley.
Buckley said that he and Rule started this downtown window decorating contest 5 years ago, and he and Rule were the only contestants the first year. It has grown to about 20 stores participating this year which he felt any one of them could have won. He said he wants someone to have a better window display.
The trophy also has a history, according to Buckley.
“The trophy was an old bowling trophy built by Greg Payton of Payton Optical (which is now Specs). 20 years ago, downtown Hutchinson had window decorating contests, and that was the trophy they used.”
The tree inside the trophy came from Buckley. Recently, they put battery-operated Christmas tree lights on the trophy.
In the Facebook live ceremony, Diamond said that the contest was open for voting in stores and online for a month, from the Third Thursday in November to the Third Thursday in December. Part of the contest was a drawing for two random voters who each received a $50 H-bucks certificate to spend in participating stores. Buckley also won $50 in H-bucks.
Diamond thanked everyone who participated in the contest and who voted. She congratulated Toy Depot and wished everyone a happy holiday season.
Toy Depot is located at 127 South Main Street. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and is closed on Sunday.
