Rushden toy shop marks 65 years with special edition jigsaws and tribute to founder Jim Osborne

From Meccano to Airfix, Fuzzy Felt to Lego and Tiny Tears to Monopoly Osborne's Toys and Sports stocked the lot
Libby Risdale and Will Osborne with the puzzlesLibby Risdale and Will Osborne with the puzzles
Libby Risdale and Will Osborne with the puzzles

The family of the founder of one of Rushden's longest established shops has marked the fifth anniversary of his death and 65 years since he first opened its doors.

Jim Osborne opened Osborne's Toys and Sports in May 1955 after moving from Hinkley, renaming an existing gift shop in High Street. He died in 2015.

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To mark the store's anniversary, Jim's widow Pam, and son Will, his fiancee Libby Risdale, staff and customers will gather to mark the milestone today (Friday, July 31)

On sale will be special edition jigsaws featuring a collage of photographs of life in the family-run shop, and a painting of Jim Osborne by Rushden artist Keith Hill. Will said: "Keith was one of dad's first customers in 1955 and he remembers coming into the shop as a child. We can certainly say he's a long-term customer.

"The logo was designed by Clive Wood - he was a friend of my father's too."

Jim died after a short illness, aged 83 on July 31.

Will said: "Dad hadn't really wanted to make a big fuss of the 60th and when we came to celebrate the 65th Covid meant the shop was closed, but we're having a small gathering and we're selling the jigsaws."

JIm Osborne behind the counter of his toy and sports shopJIm Osborne behind the counter of his toy and sports shop
JIm Osborne behind the counter of his toy and sports shop
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The shop is still owned by Jim's widow Pam, who pops in to do the books in the office, and is managed by son Will and his partner Libby.

A recent highlight for the family was in 2018 when toy giant Lego wanted to thank the Osbornes for their brand loyalty selling their products and being the first stockist in the UK .

Their whole shop front was clad with 277,500 bricks for a weekend even reproducing the fire hydrant sign on the wall in the famous building blocks.

"There are shops that sell pocket money or weekly toys and then there's the items that are for birthdays and Christmas. We specialise in things that are or will be collectables."

Will, Jim and Pam OsborneWill, Jim and Pam Osborne
Will, Jim and Pam Osborne
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Jim Osborne had chosen to take over The Gift Shop because it was the official stockist for the most popular toys of the time - Meccano and Tri-ang.

Will said: "The most popular toys and that are still sold today are Hornby Trains, Airfix kits, Meccano, Britains Toys - farm animals and soldiers.

"Childhood staples such as Plasticine, Fuzzy Felt, Slinky, Spirograph and Rubik's Cubes are still going strong.

"Our most popular toy over the last years is most definitely Lego, followed by Playmobil, both which have become a lot more detailed and sophisticated.

The photo collage jigsawThe photo collage jigsaw
The photo collage jigsaw
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"Sylvanian Familes started in the 1980s and are still very popular.

"Many fads and crazes have come and gone - Crazy Bones, Slime, Fidget Spinners and Pokemon Cards. Children still love making noise so the sales of recorders, drums and xylophones has never waned, but one toy that is everyone's friend is the teddy bear."

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