Duke City Toys

Paola and Leo Martinez, Owners of Duke City Toys

Walking into Duke City Toys feels like walking through your entire childhood at once: you'll see toys you remember owning, toys you begged for but never got, and toys you never knew existed until you see 'em sitting on a shelf. For Leo and Paola Martinez, that's the heart of the shop. It's a place where collectors can hang out, pick something up, and reconnect with awesome memories.

The store carries used, vintage, and new toys along with collectible figures from familiar worlds like LEGO, Star Wars, Spider Man, Barbie, Transformers, Hot Wheels, video games, wrestling, and much more. There's an incredible variety because Leo and Paola want their store to feel like there's something here for nearly everyone.

A Huge Albuquerque Toy Store Built From a Longtime Plan

The idea for Duke City Toys began taking shape between 2015 to 2017. Leo and Paola started collecting inventory and preparing for the kind of store they wanted to open. They were all set to sign a lease in early 2020, and then...pandemic. They decided to wait instead, and Duke City Toys finally opened in 2023.

Community response was huge. More people visited, more collections came through the doors, and the store's buying and trading side began to grow. Customers could bring in older toys, sell them, or trade them toward something new to them. Before long, the original San Mateo location just wasn't large enough.

In June 2026, Duke City Toys moved into a space on Broadway with more than 7,500 square feet. Leo says that puts it among the largest independent toy stores in the Southwest. Even with all that room, the collection expanded into the space faster than expected. At the time of our interview, Leo estimated that what shoppers could see on the sales floor represented only about half of the inventory they'd accumulated.

Duke City Toy's space is so huge, we couldn't fit it all in one shot!

Vintage Toys and Collectibles That Bring the Feels

Leo went into the business thinking he was selling things people didn't technically need. The surprise was discovering how wrong that assumption was. Collectors don't always see these pieces as simple objects - a figure, comic character, toy car, or game can bring back a a rush of memories and feelings from a particular age, person or place.

That's why a big part of the experience is just hanging out and browsing. Online shopping can help you track down an exact item, but it can't replace staring at a wall of familiar characters or holding something you haven't held since childhood. Leo describes the reaction as a mix of amazement and nostalgia. People walk in, see the size of the collection, and begin remembering.

The inventory changes every day. Collections have included Hot Wheels, Transformers, Barbies, video games, lowrider models, box trucks, statues, and countless other pieces. Some collectors arrive with rooms full of items gathered over many years. Others may bring only a few toys they're ready to pass along. That constant flow means you may see things in the shop this week that weren't there the week before.

Buy, Sell, and Trade Collectible Toys in Albuquerque

Duke City Toys also purchases toys and collectibles, and it lets customers trade older pieces toward something different. That's a big plus whether you're building a collection, making room at home, or changing what you collect. It also helps keep Albuquerque collections circulating locally, where another person can find the exact piece they've been hunting for.

Some items are familiar and affordable, while others are genuinely rare. During the interview, the store had an Ultimate Warrior prototype priced at $2,000, one of only 15 made according to Leo. But the idea of a personal treasure is subjective. One shopper's rare wrestling prototype might be another shopper's childhood Barbie, Spider Man figure, or favorite old video game. The staff understands that value isn't always about the highest price tag.

If you walk in without knowing where to begin, don't worry: Leo and Paoula pay attention. I arrived to conduct the interview sporting my Spidey tattoos, and they immediately knew which section to suggest! That small exchange captures the relaxed way the store works. You don't need to know collector terminology or arrive with a carefully researched list. You can browse, talk about what you like, and let the right shelf pull you in.

A Toy Store Where Albuquerque Collectors can Feel at Home

Leo and Paola want Duke City Toys to feel comfortable enough that customers can settle in and explore. Their goal is for people to feel at home and, in their words, like family. That comes down to honest service, a welcoming atmosphere, and the sense that nobody's being judged for what they love to collect.

The shop's Albuquerque identity matters too. Leo grew up here, while Paola came from California as a child and returned after leaving at 18. To them, Albuquerque has a pull that's hard to explain. It's the people, food, atmosphere, and familiarity of home. The local collecting scene has its own personality as well, including strong interest in lowriders, old Homies figures, model trucks, statues, and a wide range of popular culture collectibles.

Duke City Toys has already hosted popups, brought wrestlers in to meet the community, and participated in events connected with the owners' other businesses. Leo and Paola have ideas for more, including character appearances, special vehicles, a car show, and seasonal visits from Santa. They're building those plans carefully while establishing the new store and making sure its foundation is solid.

Come for the Toys and Stay for the Memories

Duke City Toys is the kind of place that can serve a serious collector and still delight someone who wandered in with no plan at all. You might come looking for one Star Wars figure, a favorite Transformer, a box of LEGO's, or something from your childhood that you haven't seen in decades - but be ready - you'll probably also find an entirely different collection waiting to begin!

What Leo and Paola have created is way more than just a toy warehouse - it's a place where Albuquerque's old collections meet their next owners, where rare finds share space with simple favorites, and where people can enjoy the feeling of being a kid again. In a time when everybody could use a little more joy, Duke City Toys understands that sometimes a toy really is something you need.