Yo-Yo’s have been around for over 2500 years. Crazy right? Well, it’s true. The first time it hit stateside was in the late 20’s when Pedro Flores, a Philippine immigrant, began manufacturing a toy labeled with that name. The word yo-yo is a Tagalog word, the native language of the Philippines, and means ‘come back.’ In the Philippines, the yo-yo was a weapon for over 400 hundred years. Their version was large with sharp edges and studs and attached to thick twenty-foot ropes for flinging at enemies or prey.
Flores became the first person to mass-produce toy yoyos, at his small toy factory located in California. Donald Duncan saw the Yoyo and bought the rights from Flores and then trademarked the name Yo-Yo.
Here’s my contribution to history. I collaborated with Chris Mikulin of Caribou Lodge, who is an independent YO-YO manufacturer cause I loved the way it looked. It reminded me of the deep dish barrels found on many cars with aftermarket wheels. Brandon from Fatlace linked me to a photo of Hayashi Sakura wheels and it was over.
Here’s the Yo-Yo. I’m hoping to make a replica of the wheel on our next run but for now, enjoy the black and green version of our Sakura Yo-Yo. I’m not sure when these will be available but it will be very soon.
