I remember retail competition and one thing they battled over was the toy aisle. It was wonderful. Supermarkets even had toy aisles with stuff that bigger stores would never stock. Gas stations had toy aisles, even if they were quite short. Toys were everywhere because stores knew kids would drag their parents in, or nag for the latest knick knack with colorful packaging.
I remember getting an Incredible Hulk "stretch armstrong style" character at a gas station one weekend while riding around with my parents in 82 before we moved to California. I have no idea where it went or when I lost it but I remember grabbing it out of a bin of 5 or 6 different characters - I liked green and had no clue at 6 years old who the Hulk was. 😂