KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Listeners of Good Morning with Dan Mitchell on WKBK Radio heard directly today from Steve Levy, the longtime owner of Keene’s Toy City, about the uncertainty surrounding the future of his family’s 53-year-old business.

Levy, whose father opened Toy City in 1972, said he first learned of plans for a casino at his store’s current location not from his landlord, but while listening to the radio himself. The surprise, he told Mitchell, left him weighing difficult decisions about what comes next.

“My options are really three: you close, you move, or you sell the business,” Levy explained on the program.

The Keene Zoning Board recently approved a variance that allows the property owner to move forward with plans for a charitable gaming facility. Levy said he has yet to be contacted directly, but his lease runs until 2027, with an option for a five-year extension. Based on the landlord’s public comments, he expects Toy City can remain open for at least another one to two Christmas seasons.

During the interview, Levy stressed that he wants to keep Toy City going in Keene but admitted that relocation would be a daunting challenge after more than five decades in the same spot. “I would like to stick around and keep Toy City going,” he said. “But I really don’t like the idea of moving.”

Levy also told Mitchell he has been transparent with his employees about the situation and has reassured customers that the store is not closing immediately.

For Levy, the issue isn’t just business—it’s about community. “I can only worry about myself, my business, and my community,” he said.

Listen to the full interview: