Houghton Lake’s B&D Toyland: It’s Now a Trailer Lot

Someone asked me why I do articles like this.

In my opinion, this type of writing isn’t really anything in-depth that takes any kind of experienced investigative reporting. The main intent of an article like this – defunct or abandoned fun parks, amusement centers, or roadside attractions - is to hopefully bring back a fond memory of anyone who visited one or some of them.

Our past is slowly becoming erased by time and so-called “progress”, and when things are eliminated, they eventually become forgotten....."out of sight, out of mind", so to speak. To forget a pleasant memory from your past should be close to a sin. Fond remembrances help us get through the chaos we are all going through now...and we need all the pleasantness we can muster.

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A place that brought happiness to travelers, locals, tourists, many a child and adult, was the B&D Toyland Department Store & Cone Hut, once located at 2802 W. Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake.

This fun gift shop and ice cream stop goes back to the 1960s. It was a favorite place to visit for travelers heading north or stopping to camp at Houghton or Higgins Lake. Unfortunately, this part of their past is done and gone. B&D Toyland closed and was turned into a Secretary of State Office during the 1980s until it was finally demolished.

It sat as an empty lot for a few years and most recently has become a space with trailers for sale.
You can almost hear that site weep.