Al's Toy Barn

Al's Toy Barn seen across the street by the toys.

Hamm: "Hey, guys, why did the toys cross the road?"
Buzz: "Not now, Hamm."
Rex: "Oh, I love riddles! Why?"
Hamm: "To get to the chicken on the other side!"

—Buzz and the toys spotting Al's Toy Barn across the street

Al's Toy Barn is a toy store first mentioned in Toy Story in a TV commercial advertising Buzz Lightyear toys while Woody and Buzz Lightyear are trapped in Sid's house, but first appears in Toy Story 2. It is owned by Al McWhiggin, an obsessive toy collector who stole Woody at the beginning of Toy Story 2.

Locations within

Entrance

Buzz Lightyear, Hamm, Rex, Mr. Potato Head and Slinky Dog enter the store by jumping onto a door sensor mat to trigger the door open. After they enter, Rex finds a manual to the Buzz Lightyear video game he has been playing earlier on a shelf next to the door. Later, when Buzz is exiting the store, he knocks over a stack of boxes next to the door onto the door sensor mat, unknowingly releasing an Evil Emperor Zurg action figure in the process.

Barbie aisle

Slinky: "We've been down this aisle already."
Mr. Potato Head: "We've never been down this aisle. It's pink."
Slinky: "Face it, we're lost."

—Slinky Dog and Mr. Potato Head

This is where Hamm, Rex, Mr. Potato Head and Slinky encounter a bunch of Barbie dolls having a party and meet one of them, Tour Guide Barbie, who volunteers to help the toys in their search.

Hot Wheels aisle

"To our right is the Hot Wheels aisle. Developed in 1967 the original series had 16 cars, including the corvette."

—Tour Guide Barbie

Tour Guide Barbie opens up the tour by taking the toys into this aisle. Further down along this aisle are bicycles, toy vehicles, and container of bouncy balls that the toys crash into.

Buzz Lightyear aisle

"And this is the Buzz Lightyear aisle. Back in 1995, short-sighted retailers did not order enough dolls to meet demand."

—Tour Guide Barbie

Buzz Lightyear being imprisoned into a cardboard box.

This is an aisle full of new Buzz Lightyear toys that Andy's Buzz encounters while on his search. Here, he gets into a fight with another Buzz Lightyear action figure, who behaves much like him in the first film. He mistakes the real Buzz for a rogue space ranger, ties him up into a box, and places him on the shelf with the other Buzz Lightyear action figures. Tour Guide Barbie takes the toys into this aisle where they pick up the newer Buzz (mistaking him for Andy's), leaving the real Buzz behind. Buzz manages to escape soon after and gives chase to the toys.

Al's Office

Al McWhiggin, the owner of Al's Toy Barn, maintains his office here. There is a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots playset on his desk.

Trivia

• When Etch A Sketch draws a map of Al's Toy Barn, the address displays 1001 West Cutting Boulevard, which is the address of Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California.
• Just before the toys reach Al's Toy Barn, Hamm makes a joke parodying the riddle: "Why did the chicken cross the road?"
• The shot of Andy's Buzz Lightyear climbing up the display only to encounter the new Buzz Lightyear standing tall resembles the one of Woody climbing up Andy's bed only to encounter the original Buzz standing tall in the first Toy Story.
• Characters from A Bug's Life are visible as toys inside the store.

  

  Bug's Life toys on sale at Al's Toy Barn.

• One ball from Luxo, Jr. is visible immediately after entering the store. When leaving the store, a container of those balls can be seen to the left of the door (a sign on the container reads "Fresh Farm Balls"). A ball is also shown in the commercial for the store earlier in the film.
• Barbie's dance steps are based on Ann-Margret's moves in Viva Las Vegas.
• One of the levels in Toy Story 2: The Video Game is a space-themed section of Al's Toy Barn called "Al's Space Land", where the majority of toys there are of Buzz Lightyear and Emperor Zurg. There's also an arcade with a claw machine and ball pit (similar to Pizza Planet). Oddly enough, the Aliens from Pizza Planet are being sold there as well.
• In Toy Story 3: The Video Game, tokens are used at Al's Toy Barn on the game board to buy new toys that can be used in Woody's Roundup.
• At one point, while the toys are in Al's Toy Barn, Mr. Potato Head views Rex chasing after the car in a rearview side mirror. This parodies a scene in Jurassic Park, when the T-Rex chases after the crew in a jeep.
  • Additionally, the phrase made famous in Jurassic Park, "Objects in mirrors are closer than they appear," is also visible on the mirror of the car that the toys drive in the store.
• Buckets of toy soldiers (like the one in Andy's room) are seen when Hamm, Slinky, Mr. Potato Head and Rex bump into them while driving in the car.
• The pink bear from the first film is being sold in the store.
• In Monopoly: Disney/Pixar Edition, players can use Al's Toy Barn currency to rent due to it being Pixar-themed.
• In Disney Crossy Road for the mobile app, Al's Toy Barn is a playable environment featured in Toy Story 2.
• Al's Toy Barn also makes a cameo outside Pixar. It is featured in the Megas XLR episode "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Coop".

Gallery

An older commercial for Al's Toy Barn, as seen in Toy Story

Interior of Al's Toy Barn; the checkstands

The Barbie aisle

The Buzz Lightyear aisle

Andy's Buzz trapped in a Buzz Lightyear box

Al's office

The arcade in the Al's Space Land level from Toy Story 2: The Video Game (not in the film)

Al's Toy Barn commercial in the Megas XLR episode,Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Coop