(WXYZ) — Inside Toy Box in Utica, it's not the racecars or the dinosaurs that are the most popular toys — it's what's not there.
"We, we're out," staff can be heard saying throughout the day.
Watch the full story in the video below
Owner Ron Manoviec says the scene repeats itself constantly at his store.
"They walk in, we don't have it, they do a circle around the store, and they're out," Manoviec said.
The culprit behind the empty shelves is Needoh — a squishy, collectible toy made by Schylling that has been on the market since 2017, but reached widespread popularity in recent months.
According to Psychology Today, Schylling has done a masterful job marketing a variety of different types, from Teeny to Super Needohs. If a Needoh isn't out of stock — like the Atomic Needoh on the official product website — it's nearly impossible to find.
Shoppers like Jacque Miller aren't deterred, moving from store to store in search of the toys.
"They collectibles, man, they squishy, and fun to play with. I got like four of them in the car right now," Miller said.
Manoviec says the craze extends well beyond his store or the state of Michigan.
"It's a worldwide phenomenon, it's not just us, not just Michigan, it's everywhere," Manoviec said.
Lines formed outside Toy Box last month during a rare Needoh drop. Manoviec says he now posts on social media the moment new stock arrives to manage the crowds.
"We'll post them the moment they come out, so that avoids the lines, if we say 'Needoh tomorrow,' they're gonna line up tonight," Manoviec said.
Not everyone understands the appeal. Nicole Edington, who lives in Mount Clemens, is still trying to figure it out.
"They're impossible to find, the kids trade them like Pokémon cards, I really don't get it at all," Edington said.
Social media has played a major role in fueling the frenzy. Rachel Kovitch, who collects Needohs, says influencers helped push the toys into the mainstream.
"Influencers and famous TikTok accounts were posting about them," Kovitch said.
Kovitch says she owns more than 100 Needohs and has built a large following of her own. Her TikTok account, Puttfamilly, has nearly 70,000 followers and 5 million views.
"I will post videos about my putty, unboxing them, showing them off, and showing rare needs," Kovitch said.
For those still searching, Manoviec says supply is on the way — eventually.
"It's coming, it's gonna be here, we're just waiting, we're so far behind, the last batch we had was a backorder, from, we're talking, February," Manoviec said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
