Hours before the doors even open, the line is already down the block.That’s become the new normal at Bing’s in Valley Junction, where a once-quiet toy section has turned into the center of a full-blown craze. The reason: NeeDoh squish toys.A viral toy, years in the making“This is our generation’s Beanie Babies or Tickle Me Elmo,” said Bing’s owner Val Veiock.Though the shop has carried NeeDoh products for about five years, demand exploded at the end of January. Much of that surge is being driven online — with more than 200,000 posts on TikTok using the hashtag #needoh.“There’s been like 142 million TikToks made… kids keep seeing the videos over and over,” Veiock said.Now, every shipment turns into an event. Bing’s announces “drops” online, and customers respond by lining up early — sometimes hours before opening.‘You do it for the grandkids’The crowd stretches across generations.Some shoppers are parents trying to keep up with their kids’ wish lists. Others are grandparents determined to track down the latest variations — from pizzas to popsicles.“You know what you do for grandkids,” one woman said after arriving an hour early to shop for Easter gifts.Another shopper from Ankeny said her grandchildren text her daily asking if she’s found the toys yet.“Every day… she’ll send me a text and say, ‘Did you find it?’” she said.For many, the hunt has become part of the experience.“They sell out quite quickly… the suppliers just can’t keep up with the demand,” said Jennifer, who has visited multiple stores trying to find specific versions for her daughter.The thrill — and frustration — of the huntScarcity is fueling the frenzy.Customers describe driving from store to store, checking inventories that vanish within minutes, and even encountering empty shelves despite online listings showing items in stock.“There’s so many variations… it’s like a never-ending list,” Jennifer said.For some families, it’s become a coordinated effort. One father said he was sent by his wife to secure the latest designs for Easter.“Wife sent me to go pick up NeeDohs for the kids,” he said.Others stumble into the craze through social media or word of mouth — only to find themselves in a line wrapping around the block.“I had no idea the line would be clear down the block,” one shopper said.Big impact for a small businessWhile big-box retailers also carry NeeDoh, Veiock says the impact looks very different for small shops.“For me, it’s going to help pay my payroll, it’s going to help pay my rent,” she said.Since January, Bing’s has sold more than 5,000 squish toys — triple what it would normally sell in an entire year.The sudden demand has transformed daily operations. Staff field constant calls, messages and emails, all asking the same question: Do you have NeeDoh?“We can’t keep up with the amount of contacts we’re getting,” Veiock said.To manage the crowds, the store now limits purchases to four per person and releases inventory in waves during each drop. Even then, inventory disappears fast.“The last time we had a line like this, we sold out in 26 minutes,” she said.A supply chain struggling to keep upThe frenzy isn’t just happening locally — it’s backed by a strained supply chain.Manufacturers have opened additional factories, but demand continues to outpace production. Even store owners don’t know when shipments will arrive.“You’ll get what you get when you get it,” Veiock said of communication from suppliers.That uncertainty has forced small businesses to take risks, placing repeated orders without knowing how long the trend will last.“I don’t know when it’s going to end,” she said.A moment — and a trend years in the makingWhile the current surge may feel sudden, the company behind NeeDoh says the toy’s rise has been building for years.Schylling, the maker of NeeDoh, says the brand has seen consistent growth since its launch in 2017.“NeeDoh has delivered consistent double-digit year-over-year growth since its launch in 2017,” said President Paul Weingard.He added the toy’s appeal now stretches far beyond a typical children’s product.“Its appeal extends well beyond typical impulse purchases, resonating with a remarkably broad audience — including children, tweens, teens, young adults, adults, collectors, ‘kidults,’ and even grandparents.”“What many are only now recognizing as a phenomenon has actually been nearly a decade of steady, under-the-radar momentum,” Weingard said.A moment — and an opportunityFor now, the NeeDoh craze shows no signs of slowing.Kids want to collect them. Parents and grandparents want to find them. And small businesses like Bing’s are seizing the moment.“It’s not every day you get to have a line down the block,” Veiock said.Whether it fades like past toy fads or sticks around longer, one thing is clear: for a small shop in Valley Junction, a squishy toy has turned into something much bigger.
Hours before the doors even open, the line is already down the block.
That’s become the new normal at Bing’s in Valley Junction, where a once-quiet toy section has turned into the center of a full-blown craze. The reason: NeeDoh squish toys.
A viral toy, years in the making
“This is our generation’s Beanie Babies or Tickle Me Elmo,” said Bing’s owner Val Veiock.
Though the shop has carried NeeDoh products for about five years, demand exploded at the end of January. Much of that surge is being driven online — with more than 200,000 posts on TikTok using the hashtag #needoh.
“There’s been like 142 million TikToks made… kids keep seeing the videos over and over,” Veiock said.
Now, every shipment turns into an event. Bing’s announces “drops” online, and customers respond by lining up early — sometimes hours before opening.
‘You do it for the grandkids’
The crowd stretches across generations.
Some shoppers are parents trying to keep up with their kids’ wish lists. Others are grandparents determined to track down the latest variations — from pizzas to popsicles.
“You know what you do for grandkids,” one woman said after arriving an hour early to shop for Easter gifts.
Another shopper from Ankeny said her grandchildren text her daily asking if she’s found the toys yet.
“Every day… she’ll send me a text and say, ‘Did you find it?’” she said.
For many, the hunt has become part of the experience.
“They sell out quite quickly… the suppliers just can’t keep up with the demand,” said Jennifer, who has visited multiple stores trying to find specific versions for her daughter.
The thrill — and frustration — of the hunt
Scarcity is fueling the frenzy.
Customers describe driving from store to store, checking inventories that vanish within minutes, and even encountering empty shelves despite online listings showing items in stock.
“There’s so many variations… it’s like a never-ending list,” Jennifer said.
For some families, it’s become a coordinated effort. One father said he was sent by his wife to secure the latest designs for Easter.
“Wife sent me to go pick up NeeDohs for the kids,” he said.
Others stumble into the craze through social media or word of mouth — only to find themselves in a line wrapping around the block.
“I had no idea the line would be clear down the block,” one shopper said.
Big impact for a small business
While big-box retailers also carry NeeDoh, Veiock says the impact looks very different for small shops.
“For me, it’s going to help pay my payroll, it’s going to help pay my rent,” she said.
Since January, Bing’s has sold more than 5,000 squish toys — triple what it would normally sell in an entire year.
The sudden demand has transformed daily operations. Staff field constant calls, messages and emails, all asking the same question: Do you have NeeDoh?
“We can’t keep up with the amount of contacts we’re getting,” Veiock said.
To manage the crowds, the store now limits purchases to four per person and releases inventory in waves during each drop. Even then, inventory disappears fast.
“The last time we had a line like this, we sold out in 26 minutes,” she said.
A supply chain struggling to keep up
The frenzy isn’t just happening locally — it’s backed by a strained supply chain.
Manufacturers have opened additional factories, but demand continues to outpace production. Even store owners don’t know when shipments will arrive.
“You’ll get what you get when you get it,” Veiock said of communication from suppliers.
That uncertainty has forced small businesses to take risks, placing repeated orders without knowing how long the trend will last.
“I don’t know when it’s going to end,” she said.
A moment — and a trend years in the making
While the current surge may feel sudden, the company behind NeeDoh says the toy’s rise has been building for years.
Schylling, the maker of NeeDoh, says the brand has seen consistent growth since its launch in 2017.
“NeeDoh has delivered consistent double-digit year-over-year growth since its launch in 2017,” said President Paul Weingard.
He added the toy’s appeal now stretches far beyond a typical children’s product.
“Its appeal extends well beyond typical impulse purchases, resonating with a remarkably broad audience — including children, tweens, teens, young adults, adults, collectors, ‘kidults,’ and even grandparents.”
“What many are only now recognizing as a phenomenon has actually been nearly a decade of steady, under-the-radar momentum,” Weingard said.
A moment — and an opportunity
For now, the NeeDoh craze shows no signs of slowing.
Kids want to collect them. Parents and grandparents want to find them. And small businesses like Bing’s are seizing the moment.
“It’s not every day you get to have a line down the block,” Veiock said.
Whether it fades like past toy fads or sticks around longer, one thing is clear: for a small shop in Valley Junction, a squishy toy has turned into something much bigger.
