ABOUT US
The story behind the Bay's biggest retro toy and collectible fair.
EIGHTEEN MONTHS OF "WHAT IF"
For eighteen months, Melody had been sitting on an idea. The Bay of Plenty deserved its own retro toy and collectible fair β she knew it, the community knew it β but she kept talking herself out of it. One woman. One big event. A lot of work.
Then her sister asked a simple question: "What's actually holding you back β realistically?" No good answer came. And when collector friends started nudging her too, the excuses ran out.
So she thought: OK. Let's give it a go. And that's how Toytopia was born.
"WHAT'S ACTUALLY HOLDING YOU BACK β REALISTICALLY?"
β Melody's sister. The one responsible for all of this.
MEET MELODY
π§Έ Melody (right, tongue out π) + whanau Β· The Retro Event, June 2026
It started with Jem dolls and a brother who let her wreck his action figures. Repeatedly. Growing up in Hamilton, Saturday mornings were sacred β cereal in hand, glued to Fraggle Rock, Transformers, What Now. She didn't know it then, but she was already a collector.
After years in corporate contracting, a revelation hit: toys are considerably more fun than Excel. On 18 April 2024, Melody launched the Melody Likes Facebook group from Tauranga β nearly 1,500 members strong, and still growing.
These days, she hunts down nostalgic treasures from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. Behind the scenes, she has the most wonderful whanau who pitch in, show up, and keep her mostly sane. This isn't a faceless warehouse. It's a passion project run by a real person who genuinely loves this stuff.
READ THE FULL MELODY LIKES STORY βWHAT WE STAND FOR
CURATED QUALITY
Every vendor is hand-selected. No junk, no bric-a-brac β just genuine vintage toys and collectibles worth hunting for.
WHΔNAU FRIENDLY
We're proudly whΔnau-friendly. Whether you're 8 or 80, there's something at Toytopia that'll make your day.
BAY OF PLENTY PROUD
We're a local event for a local community β but we welcome collectors and vendors from across Aotearoa.
COMMUNITY FIRST
Toytopia was built for the collectors, the hunters, the nostalgic souls. This is your event β we're just making it happen.
TOY SCHOOL
β‘ BRAND NEW β GROWING WEEKLYNew to collecting? Not sure if that toy you found at the op shop is worth anything? Don't know a bootleg from the real deal? Toy School has you covered.
Written by Melody, published every Tuesday. The resource she wished she'd had when she started β and it's completely free.
VISIT TOY SCHOOL β
MELODY LIKES
Melody Likes is Tauranga's go-to destination for vintage toys, retro collectibles and trading cards. The toys we grew up with never really leave us β and honestly? We think that's a beautiful thing.
"THE TOYS WE GREW UP WITH NEVER REALLY LEAVE US."
melodylikes.com
JOIN US ON OCT 10
Tauranga Racecourse Β· 2026