Destiny’s Loot: Inside Newcastle Emlyn’s Fantasy Toy Shop

When is a shop more than just a shop? When it’s a pirate ship raiding the seven seas? When it’s a dragon’s lair filled with glistening treasures? When it’s a focal point for the community with comfy armchairs, coffee on tap and a resident corgi longing for attention? Maybe when it is all these things and more. Destiny’s Loot in Sycamore Street, Newcastle Emlyn, is most certainly not your run-of-the-mill town centre shop; part toy store – for kids and adults of all ages, part treasure trove, part community hub, part town centre hideaway. The brainchild of fantasy author Felicity Mitchell, Destiny’s Loot is difficult to categorise. “Obviously, it is a shop,” said Felicity, “but it is also place for the community. It’s somewhere where people can call in, sit down, chat and escape.

“We wanted to create a place where everyone is accepted; somewhere where anyone can come and meet new people, make new friends and build connections that they might otherwise miss in today’s hectic, online world. We want to rejuvenate those connections that we all seem to be losing in everyday modern life.” At its heart, Destiny’s Loot is a toy and collectables shop – but with a major twist. “The shop is about fun and imagination,” said Felicity, who runs Destiny’s Loot alongside her husband, son and daughter – and pet corgi. “It’s about making people happy – that’s what makes us happy. “People are excited and interested in something different, something unexpected, something they never imagined they’d see in Newcastle Emlyn. That’s our goal: to excite and engage people. We cater to children of all ages – from aged six to 99. “We stock Goth stuff, Viking stuff, pirate stuff, models, children’s toys, books and collectibles. We love getting random stuff on our shelves. We have a lot of everything. “We ordered a copy of Snoop Dogg’s cookbook thinking it would never sell but we just wanted to have it on our shelves because it seemed like something unusual to be stocking in Newcastle Emlyn.

A different kind of toy shop

Of course, we sold it almost immediately to a lovely middle-aged lady who couldn’t wait to get home and try the recipes.” And it is not just the things that pique Felicity’s interest that line the shelves of Destiny’s Loot. “We had someone come in whose parent is suffering from dementia. We had a chat about what we could do to help and so we started stocking dementia-friendly jigsaws,” she explained. “If there’s something you need, but you can’t find it anywhere else, we’ll do our best to get it for you.” “It’s about finding someone or that something that you have never seen before.” Even the cuddly toys are unique. “We have all our stuffed toys made especially for us. Some are based on characters from my books, but most are just lovely unique and unusual toys.” In addition to having their stock made for them, Destiny’s Loot is also happy to make gifts unique to the customer, courtesy of their own laser printer. “The printer is lots of fun and it means we can make our own products and models, as well as taking requests from customers.”

In addition to the products it stocks and makes, Destiny’s Loot also hosts regular Dungeons and Dragons sessions and will soon become an official Warhammer stockist. “I guess some people would say that it is a nerd shop – and that’s fine. There are lots of other shops for other people,” said Felicity with a grin. “We just want people to have fun.

A wider perspective

“This is an escape for everybody. It’s not just a shop. It’s a place for the eclectic imagination. “Ultimately, we just want to be a nice place for people to call in, drop by and enjoy themselves.” Destiny’s Loot is most certainly that – and so much more.