Shoppers who find empty spots on area toy department shelves probably won't get rain checks, unless they want to buy the toys after Christmas.
Managers at Carson City-area stores with large toy departments said Wednesday that people who cannot find specific toys are generally looking at alternate choices for gifts.
Color Game Boys, the interactive Amazing Ally doll, Pokeman items, Furbys and even the Barbie cash register are all hits this Christmas season. Stocks for most of those items are going fast or are long gone.
"Color Game Boys, Amazing Ally have been gone for a while," said a Wal-Mart manager. "We've still got some Pokeman items left, but not a lot. And TecDeck, the miniature skateboards, have been really popular."
SuperKmart is trying not to issue too many rainchecks for toys or other items that are intended as Christmas gift, manager Brad Johnson said.
"We're not going to be getting any more shipments before Christmas and lots of people aren't going to be interested in those toys after then," Johnson said. He said Kmart expands its toy selection just for Christmas. Issuing a rain check for those would not do any good, he said.
Johnson said shoppers should choose among the wide variety of items still available on the shelves. He said Pokemon items, Furbys and Amazing Ally are all gone, with Play Station gamer consoles nearly gone.
The Target Store south of Carson City expected final shipments Wednesday and Thursday nights, store team leader Troy Blackwell said. Some toys on the "most wanted list" may be restocked.
"We have issued some rainchecks with the understanding we may not be able to come through by Christmas," Blackwell said. "We're encouraging folks to call us about those things, because we've had pretty good luck restocking."
He said the store had the Furbys in stock and that the Barbie cash registers may show up in one of the final shipments. Blackwell also said the Toy Story 2 Game Boy cartridge, which was a late bloomer but had become very popular, is in good supply.
He said the new Target was well stocked for the season, so he was able to respond quickly to an emergency call Wednesday.
"The Christmas Cheer program up at South Lake Tahoe was burglarized. They had worked all year taking donations of toys and it was all taken," Blackwell said.
"I got this call that they needed lots of toys right away, since they were to go to kids this Christmas. I was able to donate $1,500 in toys to them right out of the store."