In central Moscow, on Lubyanka Square, there is a huge store that was a mecca for all the Soviet children. ‘Detsky Mir’ (‘Children’s World’) was the country’s biggest store with toys and other goods for kids.
In an ironic way, this very cheerful place neighbored the infamous ‘Lubyanka’ building of the Soviet intelligence services and the monument of its founder, Felix Dzerzhinsky.
‘Detsky Mir’ was built in the 1950s on the site of Lubyanka Passage that was demolished by Soviet authorities. The new store was situated right upon the Lubyanka metro station, so it was very convenient to get there by public transport.
The building is absolutely unique and its style is a mix of Stalin’s Empire style and the minimalist architecture of the post-Stalin era. Incidentally, it was the very first building in the USSR to install escalators.
While modern children have tons of toys, Soviet kids usually had up to 10; all of them were the same for many and often inherited from elder siblings or friends. That’s why getting into the store with hundreds of toys for all tastes was a game changing experience!
Inside, ‘Detsky Mir’ was rather a fairy tale palace, with a huge atrium and a baluster on the perimeter. For many years, there was a carousel with horses in the middle.
The first three floors were full of stands with toys and other goods for children produced by Soviet factories.
Dolls, teddy bears, toy railroads, rocking horses - there were, surprisingly, all types of toys produced in the Soviet Union.
‘Detsky Mir’ also sold some imported goods, usually from the socialist bloc countries - Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary and others.
Pictured below are boys looking at the ‘Lunnik’, a moonwalker with a wired remote control made in Latvia. An electronic toy was every Soviet kid’s dream.
Soviet kids weren’t begging for toys, neither were they hysterically laying on the floor crying and banging their little fists. A journey (yes, it was the whole journey) to ‘Detsky Mir’ was a privilege. Children were often taken there on their birthday or for a special occasion.
Sometimes, parents rewarded their kids with a new toy if they finished the school year with good marks. And, in August, right before the new school year started, many headed to ‘Detsky Mir’ to buy school uniforms or some chancery.
Many now grown up Russians still recall a journey to ‘Detsky Mir’ as something really special. “I remember I was incredibly excited even on the eve of the day we planned to go there. And, the next morning, I got up really early and asked my parents when we were going to go,” Muscovite Yelena, 64, says.
At the same time, not getting there was also a matter of long-term memories. “I remember I dreamed of a toll car and asked my parents gently if it’s possible that I get it on my birthday. They took me to Moscow’s center, but then suggested not to visit ‘Detsky Mir’, but some other great and secret place, instead. I was excited and agreed - and they took me to the Historical Museum. I still remember how disappointed I was,” Andrei, 45, recalls.
Alongside with toys, ‘Detsky Mir’ literally had everything that a child could need. From swaddles and diapers for newborn babies…
…to shoes for all ages…
…and clothes for teenagers.
Despite being a very special place the whole year, ‘Detsky Mir’ turned into a true fairy tale place in December, before New Year’s Eve. A huge decorated New Year tree was usually installed in the atrium.
While the façade of the building was decorated with fir branches and glowing garlands.
And there was probably no other place in the whole Soviet Union that would sell as many New Year toys and tree decorations, as well as gifts for children.
The sellers often dressed up as ‘Ded Moroz’ (the Russian version of Santa Claus) and his companion ‘Snow Maiden’.
During this period, the usually popular ‘Detsky Mir’ became even more crowded with hundreds of people lining up to buy something for the celebration.
After the Soviet Union collapsed, ‘Detsky Mir’ remained a popular place for kids, offering many new foreign brands and goods a way to enter the Russian market.
In 2008, ‘Detsky Mir’ was closed for a general reconstruction and, seven years later, it was reopened. The three-floor atrium was expanded to eight floors, and many new (including popular Western) brand stores were opened there.
Meanwhile, the façade got new fancy decorations and illumination.
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