Toy Association's "Toy Building" Opens its Doors in El Segundo, Marking Historic Milestone for U.S. Toy Industry

Industry Leaders & Local Dignitaries Celebrate Grand Opening of West Coast Toy Hub & Kick off LA Fall Preview® Market Weeks

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toy Association™ celebrated the grand opening of its new Toy Building in El Segundo today, located in the heart of LA's rapidly growing "Toy District." The Toy Building brings together global toy companies, mid-sized manufacturers, and emerging startups, whose showrooms will attract buyers, licensors, and key decision makers from around the world to preview toy prototypes, scout new toy trends, and hold private meetings — representing a significant milestone for the toy industry and El Segundo's local economy and commercial real estate sector.

"The strategic opening of The Toy Building further establishes Southern California as a key hub for international trade, innovation, and business in the toy and play sector — a $100+ billion global industry that supports tens of thousands of U.S. jobs across design, manufacturing, distribution, and retail," stated Greg Ahearn, president & CEO of The Toy Association. "The Toy Building provides toy manufacturers from around the globe the opportunity to establish a West Coast presence, helping businesses to work together and thrive, making El Segundo's Toy District an economically important and growing part of the LA business landscape."

The milestone grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony held today at The Toy Building brought together toy industry leaders and notable dignitaries, including Mayor of El Segundo Chris Pimentel, who presented an official certificate and delivered remarks; Melissa Ramoso, representative for California Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, who also presented a certificate; Deputy El Segundo City Manager Barbara Voss; Samantha Gallegos, District Representative from Senator Ben Allen's office, as well as other members of the El Segundo City Council and Chamber of Commerce. Their presence affirmed The Toy Building's importance not only to the toy industry, but also to the broader El Segundo community and regional economy.

Tenants of The Toy Building include Hasbro, LEGO, Crayola, Funko, Playmobil, Crazy Aaron's, Faber-Castell, and many more. Throughout September and October, also known as "Fall Preview" season for the toy industry, roughly 200 companies will be previewing Fall 2026 product lines and prototypes in private showrooms both within The Toy Building and the surrounding Toy District. The Toy Association's dedicated LA Fall Preview® Market Weeks will be held from September 8 to 19, driving further activity, professional education, and networking, with several special events taking place during business hours and after-hours for the toy community, including The Toy Foundation's Golf & Give FUNdraiser at Topgolf El Segundo (with all proceeds benefiting children in need) and the Women in Toys, Licensing, and Entertainment (WiT) Wonder Woman Awards at the Beverly Hilton.

To learn more about The Toy Building and the year-round business activity that will take place at the industry's West Coast hub, visit toyassociation.org/lafallpreview.

About The Toy Association™  toyassociation.org / toyfoundation.org / peopleofplay.com / thegeniusofplay.org / playsafe.org

Founded in 1916, The Toy Association^™, Inc. is the business trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $155.7 billion, and its roughly 900 members drive the annual $42 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, governments, consumers, and the industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.    

As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair^™ in New York City; hosts marketplace activities at The Toy Building in Los Angeles; engages in state, federal, and international advocacy on behalf of its members; supports the inventor and design community through People of Play™ and its numerous assets and events, including the consumer-facing Chicago Toy & Game Fair; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard. The Toy Association's philanthropic arm is The Toy Foundation^™, a 501 (c)(3) children's charity that acts as the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry. To date, The Toy Foundation has delivered the joy of play to 33 million children in need worldwide.

SOURCE The Toy Association