Like we have covered before, the Designer Toy Awards are not just for the artists. There is a store that I think everybody knows about down on Prince Street in New York City. This is where Kidrobot NY is located. It is a stop for any toy lover. The store is always a destination for toy drops and signings. If there is a major release, you can be pretty sure Kidrobot NY will have an event.
This Kidrobot is a two level store. The first floor is mainly toys and the second floor is mostly cloths. There is enough room to walk around and you never really know who will be in there. And Kidrobot is not the only thing you will find in the store. There are many customs from artist and other designer toys, that will make any collector happy.
The lucky manager of this location goes by the name of Lisa. She is very friendly and is always willing to talk toys. And her staff is quite the same. I can only imagine the nagging questions they get asked about everyday. I can only imagine all the questions they are getting about the 8 inch Silver Dunny. I was lucky enough to get Lisa to answer some questions during her few down minutes. Here are her responses…
1. Can you give us a brief history of the store?
KRNY is our flagship store and we now have stores in LA, SF, Miami, Boulder, London, and Las Vegas. 2012 is KR’s 10th anniversary! The KRNY store moved to our bigger location here at 118 Prince Street in 2008, after we outgrew a tinier location down the block. This company was built from a really strong foundation of people who were passionate about art. We are always growing but our main focus still is to always create the most beautiful products possible. Within that we like to push some boundaries too and it’s fun to shock people once in a while.
2. It seems like there is a signing or release every month at the store, is there one you will never forget?
We have so many great events and releases it’s hard to decide on one as my favorite! I could definitely tell you something memorable about each release and event but that would take a long time. ;)
I love new releases! They can be kind of stressful but I love coming to open the store in the morning when there’s a line of excited, friendly people waiting outside already. We have the best fans and everyone gets to know each other. It’s such a amazing community. Signings and events are super fun because it’s just a big party and I get to meet artist we work with. Always good times.
3. In your wildest dreams, did you ever think you be the manager of store nominted for Toy Store of the Year?
My staff rules. We always strive to have fun and share our love for toys and art with our customers. Win or not, we are glad that we were nominated by our fans. BIG THANKS to everyone who voted for us!! Of course, we’d be absolutely delighted to bring back a shiny Designer Toy Award!
We have many collectors that have been with us for the whole 10 years, it blows my mind. I started with KR in 2008 so, especially in my first years, they helped me catch up. Then there are new customers who are just seeing us for the first time. It’s really fun to be here to watch someone open one of our blind boxes for the very first time or put their finger into the satin butt hole of a plush labbit, haha. Nothing like the first time….
4. Of the 10 nominations for Store of the Year, 3 are in NYC. What makes your store uniquie compared to ToyTokyo and MyPlasticHeart?
I think we’re really lucky to be in NYC and have so many great toy stores. Each one has their own vibe and all contribute to our local toy culture. We hope that customers appreciate our passion for what we do and we love it when customers hang out for hours and just shoot the shit about toys, show us pics of their collections, etc. Our store is set up like a gallery and I think that helps to elevate the way our toys are perceived more for what they are- pieces of art. We have a broad selection of products for all types of collectors. I am especially proud of our custom program and am thankful that custom artists have allowed us to display and help find good homes for their pieces.
5. The Sucklord will be hosting this event and recently helped with the 2012 Dunny series, any interesting stories of The Sucklord being in the store?
The Sucklord is awesome. I think he’ll make a really hilarious host for the awards. I had the privilege of visiting his studio recently and got to see the man behind the persona and the brand. He’s an incredibly hardworking guy and I’m so happy for his success. KRNY has some cool projects in the works with him that will hopefully be completed soon, so look out!
