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Lakeland collector uses his passion to inspire others
Regina Gonzalez reports
LAKELAND,Fla. - Like any little boy, Lakeland's Jeff Davis loved toys growing up and will forever consider himself a child at heart.
"Stretch Armstrong, transformers, G.I Joe, that's the stuff I played with as a kid," Davis recalled. "So, as I got older and wanted to collect stuff, I collected stuff I wasn't able to buy as a kid."
As an adult, those would not only become his passion but eventually symbolize special memories that helped him cope with the loss of his mother after she died in 2017.
"Trying to get over that, I would think about being a kid again, and when she took us places and got us these toys," Davis said. "I then realized that it's not that easy to find stuff, and so I went to ComiCon, and there was only modern stuff and artwork and everything, and there wasn't anything wrong with that it, it just wasn't old toys and stuff that I grew up with."
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That's when 'Florida toy shows and Expos' was born.
After a successful first show in Lakeland in 2019, his vendor list continued to grow.
From vintage classics and collectibles to modern video games and hand-made creations, they travel all over the state.
"We actually go out of state to look for stuff, toys for shows, but we have shows as far north as Jacksonville and as far south as Ft. Lauderdale," Davis explained.
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They're hosting the Tampa Toy Con at the Florida State Fairgrounds all weekend long for the third year in a row, bringing a boost of nostalgia for adults and helping this generation's kids create new memories.
Tampa Toy-Con is Saturday, July 8, and Sunday, July 9, at the Florida State Fairgrounds.
For more information, click here.