Introduction: The Beating Heart of the Merchant City
“Stacked to the rafters.” If you ever tried to describe A1 Toys to someone who had never been, that was the phrase you used. For over 30 years, the iconic shop on Parnie Street stood as a defiant, glorious outpost for everything weird and wonderful in Glasgow.
While the closure of the physical Parnie Street store in 2024 marks the end of a massive chapter, the legacy of its founders, brothers David and Kenneth Burns, continues to pulse through the city’s geek culture.
The “Aladdin’s Cave” of Parnie Street
Walking into A1 Toys or A1 Comics to us oldies was a sensory experience. There was no floor space; there was barely any ceiling space. Every inch was crammed with history.
It was the kind of place where you’d find the latest 2000 AD Prog featuring scripts by Gordon Rennie or Jim Alexander tucked next to a vintage action figure. It was a hub for the “Glasgow Mafia” of creators. Even world-class artists like Gary Erskine have frequented Glasgow’s comic haunts, and A1 was the spiritual home for the art and stories they produced.
Static Games: The Survival of a Legend
While the toy shop has “rested its plastic,” there is good news for the local community. Static Games, located just a few doors down on Parnie Street and also owned by the Burns brothers, remains open for business.
Static Games continues to be Glasgow’s premier destination for board games, RPGs, and tabletop miniatures. Its survival ensures that Parnie Street remains a vital destination for the city’s gaming community, even as we say goodbye to the toy shelves next door.
The Wrestling Capital & The Comic Con Future
A1 Toys held a special place in the hearts of wrestling fans, stocking imports and exclusives no high-street chain would touch. However, the “hunt” isn’t completely over.
A1 Toys has transitioned from a permanent storefront to a roaming powerhouse. Fans can still find the legendary A1 Toys stock—including those rare figures and collectibles—at all BGCP Comic Cons across Scotland. From East Kilbride to Dundee, David and Kenneth’s curated treasures continue to reach the hands of fans through these massive community events.
A Legacy That Won’t Be Forgotten
The closure of the A1 Toys storefront leaves a void, but the impact of David and Kenneth Burns on the Scottish collecting scene is permanent. They survived the rise of the internet and a global pandemic, remaining one of the last “old school” shops run by fans, for fans.
To the staff and owners: Thank You. You helped build the collections of thousands of Scottish geeks. We’ll see you at the next Comic Con!
Rest in Plastic (On the High Street), A1 Toys (1990s – 2024)