Don’t Just Go Out, Go Wayout!
There's a place where I can go
And that's where I'll wanna be
I'm sayin' good-bye to you cause
People found a place for me
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We're going way out, way out!
That's where the fun is,
way out, way out!
That's where the sun is,
way out, way out.
Where I'll wanna be
Cause that's the place for me
Do those lyrics sound familiar?
If you were a kid in the 1980’s or earlier and watched Hanna Barbera cartoons, chances are it probably rings some distant bell in your memory bank.
These are the lyrics from the song “Way Out,” the first and only hit performed by the prehistoric rock band, The Wayouts, in The Flintstones season 6 episode, “The Masquerade Party.”
Why is this important? Because it was this song that inspired the name of your favorite toy store, Wayout Toys & Collectibles!
The Wayouts
Not Too Long Ago, in a Galaxy Not So Far Away…
Waylon Westfall, the owner of Wayout Toys & Collectibles, first heard this song he was 7 or 8 years old. “It stuck with me because they were The Way Outs and I was Waylon,” he explained. “By using that in my store’s name was with the desire to invoke the same sort of feeling that the people who made The Flintstones were trying to invoke by putting The Way Outs in the show, something that was wacky and fun.”
Waylon started collecting toys around age 18, after stumbling upon a collection of Star Wars toys that were being thrown away in his neighborhood. This reignited his interest in his childhood and the incredible selection of toys that were available to children in the 1980’s.
With the advent of online auction sites such as eBay, Waylon found a great way to not only expand his collection, but also sell pieces to other collectors. Then in 2015, he learned of a local flea market that had spots available. “It seemed like a natural transition from eBay,” says Waylon. “Being in-person at the flea market allowed me to have a larger rotating stock of toys available as well as make connections with local collectors. I became the go-to toy guy for a lot of them.”
It was during this time that the Wayout Toys & Collectibles brand was born. “While selling at the flea market is when I started to wear the crazy printed button down shirts and my now-signature bowler hat. People would see me from afar and know it was me. I emanated the ‘wacky sales guy’ persona and customers loved it. It made my booth a fun place to be.”
Same goes for the store’s logo, which is a cube-shaped earth with the store’s name wrapped around the front like Saturn’s ring. “I wanted people to look at it and think, ‘That’s absurd,’” says Waylon.
Inside Wayout Toys & Collectibles
Striking Out on His Own
Waylon made the decision to open his own store in 2020. “I opened my own store because I like to play by my own rules,” he explained. “Also, by renting my own space, I could sell every day and not just on the weekends like I was restricted to doing at the flea market.”
Part of Waylon’s success with the store is thanks to the resurgence of 1980’s pop culture. “It’s awesome because of all the attention these retro TV shows and movies are getting, not to mention reboots of old shows and toy lines. Because they are entering our current culture’s consciousness, it has increased the demand for the products we sell.”
Even though there are no big chain super store toy retailers any longer, Wayout Toys & Collectibles still endures some competition from other independently owned toy stores. When asked what made his store stand out from the crowd, Waylon explained: “My willingness to give my customers 100% of my attention. I postpone whatever else might need to be done so I can spend time with my customers because ultimately, my customers are my friends. I am also trying my best to break the stereotype of the grouchy shop keeper. I never want my customers to compare me to Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons.”
Some happy Wayout Toys & Collectibles customers pose with Maverick, the Wayout mascot
More to Come
When asked about what the future holds for Wayout Toys & Collectibles, Waylon explained his desire to go big. “I’d like to eventually have a chain of stores so that Wayout Toys & Collectibles becomes like KB Toy Store, or something like it, that will endure long after I’m gone.”
Just one visit to Wayout Toys & Collectibles in Mentor on the Lake, Ohio, is enough to understand why it truly is ‘the place where the fun is.’ On Google Reviews, the store holds and impressive five-star average. One customers’ review relates:
“We love this store! The owner is very knowledgeable and has a deep inventory with hard-to-find items, both packaged and loose. He is happy to trade collectibles and is fair with his pricing. Check it out and support a growing local business!”
What do you love most about visiting Wayout Toys & Collectibles? Let us know in the comments section below!