JANESVILLE Early Friday morning in downtown Janesville, it was an attack of the weekend squishies.
About 140 people toddlers, teens, parents, grandparents were lined up on the sidewalk along East Milwaukee Street, awaiting the doors opening at Classy Rascals, a childrens clothing boutique.
The people waiting hoped to get their hands on NeeDohs, a line of polyurethane covered, pliable toys with a satisfying squish that feels a bit like pressing on frozen molasses.
What started out as a stress-reducing squeeze toy has become this summers trend, and local kids and their families say they have been waiting for weeks to find them locally.
Alana, a 14-year-old, was the first in line Friday morning to get a NeeDoh. Shed been waiting outside Classy Rascals with a grandparent since 5 a.m.
Alana was pretty savvy about the supply-and-demand factor behind NeeDohs current market availability.
People have been talking about these since like October of last year, but theyve been hard to get. This store (Classy Rascals) said on Facebook they ordered NeeDohs in January, and theyre just coming in today. The company is really behind in production, Alana said. Theyre so popular, because theyre on Tik Tok. I only have been able to get a few.
Alanas friend, Aubrey, said shes got a few NeeDohs herself, but she wants to collect many, many more.
I want the popsicle, Aubrey said. She listed a wide range of shapes and characters that are available, including squid-shaped NeeDohs, or plain, old square-shaped and donut-shaped ones.
As summer crazes go, people in line Friday characterized NeeDohs as this years Jellycat a toy which has nothing to do with Jelly, or even cats, for that matter.
JellyCats are plush stuffed toys that range from cuddly rabbits to hamburgers, or even astronaut peanut characters. They retail for about $40.
NeeDohs would fall in line more as an inflation-buster, given their relatively inexpensive cost per toy.
People in line Friday said theyve seen the squishy toy marked between $7 and $15, depending on location and availability.
You can only buy two at a time at this sale today, Alana said basing her information on Facebook postings. She also has a NeeDoh app on her phone, which apprised her when local stores have the toy available.
On Friday, there were no kid tears. Classy Rascals owners, Jess Van Horn and Josh Van Horn, said the store totally sold out of NeeDohs Friday morning, but everyone whod lined got one of the brightly-colored squishies.
Its crazy and amazing as a store, Jess said. I was so thrilled to see all the people in line this morning. So many kids waiting in line to get a hold of something thats not a tablet.
Jess said her shop timed the NeeDohs drop for Friday to capitalize on the official start of summer for local kids whove just wrapped up the school year.
The foot traffic caught other merchants eyes downtown making Classy Rascals for a few hours Friday morning the talk of East Milwaukee Street.
Jess said theres more in store this summer.
The shop hopes to capitalize on a couple other items that are kid-trending.
One is of the squishy variety, little polyurethane dumpling characters that come in their own dumpling box.
Another is a classic. Get your feet and knees ready for it, Jess said. This summer, all signs point to the big, big comeback of the hacky sack.