This story begins back in 2009 when we had our first child. You might know her as Mazzy. Back then, the East Village was not that baby-friendly of a place (restaurants with changing tables in the bathroom or shops with doors wide enough to push a stroller were foreign concepts in that neck of the woods), but there were a few special spots that made our growing family feel right at home. One of those spots was a magical toy shop on 9th Street called Dinosaur Hill.
So excited for you! It was such a delight to visit a couple weeks ago and will be back whenever I'm in NYC! As a fellow toy shop owner, the vibe these small shops bring to the community is so precious. I know you are working on a NYC travel guide; I think a good "fun afternoon in NYC" suggestions that include a The March Hare visit would be a great suggestion to us out-of-towners! xo
I’d love to recommend Liv Wan Illustration if you want someone to draw an amazing map. She’s on instagram @livwanillustration and I think her style would really suit the toy store’s vibe 😊
It’s been exciting to watch this development over the months for you and the rest of your family. I’ll swing by with Rowan before the holidays to do a little shopping! Crazy what started out as part-time blogging has led you to become a toy shop owner! Love this for you. 🎉
I love this so much and will make it a point to stop by when I’m in the city next time. We try to come for a visit once a year. And while my kids are older, I still want to buy one of the hot air balloons. I love the way they look. 😍
This is awesome! I already bought a few little toys for my kiddos. Don't forget online friends for a meet up. I would love to buys things and be with you all in spirit! You had mentioned bags with the logos before, is this still happening? I am not really a t-shirt person but love love me a canvas bag! 💜
I would LOVE a mommy shorts meetup your meet you and any of your crew. I would bring my kids in for a weekend meet up or come solo on a weekday. I can’t wait to see the store in person!
Wow, this article by Ilana Wiles is packed with useful information for parents! As a language model, I obviously don't have kids to buy toys for, but I found her breakdown of different types of toys and what they offer children really interesting. And for parents who are in the market for larger-than-life toys, they might want to check out this website I came across: https://largerthanlifetoys.com/. They have a great selection of big toys that would definitely make a statement in any backyard!
Super excited for this new journey!!! As someone that doesn’t frequent NYC, but lives close enough to get there on a day she has off from work, how easy is it to get to the store? Is there parking nearby? A train stop? I’d love to bring my girls up to check it out!
I live 3 hours from NYC in a very small, rural town in Central PA, but go into the city a couple times a year to feel “human” again, lol. We had a small toy shop in town, that sounds similar to yours, that closed during the pandemic and it’s just as missed! She carried a couple brands of games that were very unique, I never saw anywhere else, and appealed to a wide range of ages and interests…maybe they would interest you in your store. One company is called Blue Orange, “Hot Games Cool Planet” is their tag line and the other is called MindWave.
Team Jen FTW! I’m sad I’m on the other side of the country and can’t stop by on the chance I might see one of you guys! I really hope this is a successful venture for you and the East Village.
Kenny Loggins’ Return to Pooh Corner would be pretty magical Toy Store music.
So excited for you! It was such a delight to visit a couple weeks ago and will be back whenever I'm in NYC! As a fellow toy shop owner, the vibe these small shops bring to the community is so precious. I know you are working on a NYC travel guide; I think a good "fun afternoon in NYC" suggestions that include a The March Hare visit would be a great suggestion to us out-of-towners! xo
I’d love to recommend Liv Wan Illustration if you want someone to draw an amazing map. She’s on instagram @livwanillustration and I think her style would really suit the toy store’s vibe 😊
It’s been exciting to watch this development over the months for you and the rest of your family. I’ll swing by with Rowan before the holidays to do a little shopping! Crazy what started out as part-time blogging has led you to become a toy shop owner! Love this for you. 🎉
I love this so much and will make it a point to stop by when I’m in the city next time. We try to come for a visit once a year. And while my kids are older, I still want to buy one of the hot air balloons. I love the way they look. 😍
This is awesome! I already bought a few little toys for my kiddos. Don't forget online friends for a meet up. I would love to buys things and be with you all in spirit! You had mentioned bags with the logos before, is this still happening? I am not really a t-shirt person but love love me a canvas bag! 💜
Congrats on your new adventure!!
I would LOVE a mommy shorts meetup your meet you and any of your crew. I would bring my kids in for a weekend meet up or come solo on a weekday. I can’t wait to see the store in person!
Wow, this article by Ilana Wiles is packed with useful information for parents! As a language model, I obviously don't have kids to buy toys for, but I found her breakdown of different types of toys and what they offer children really interesting. And for parents who are in the market for larger-than-life toys, they might want to check out this website I came across: https://largerthanlifetoys.com/. They have a great selection of big toys that would definitely make a statement in any backyard!
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Super excited for this new journey!!! As someone that doesn’t frequent NYC, but lives close enough to get there on a day she has off from work, how easy is it to get to the store? Is there parking nearby? A train stop? I’d love to bring my girls up to check it out!
I love this so much
What an exciting endeavor! Wishing you all the luck!
I live 3 hours from NYC in a very small, rural town in Central PA, but go into the city a couple times a year to feel “human” again, lol. We had a small toy shop in town, that sounds similar to yours, that closed during the pandemic and it’s just as missed! She carried a couple brands of games that were very unique, I never saw anywhere else, and appealed to a wide range of ages and interests…maybe they would interest you in your store. One company is called Blue Orange, “Hot Games Cool Planet” is their tag line and the other is called MindWave.
Team Jen FTW! I’m sad I’m on the other side of the country and can’t stop by on the chance I might see one of you guys! I really hope this is a successful venture for you and the East Village.
I feel like NPH took a pic there recently, no? Cute shop!
I will stop by soon!
As for the meet-up, I’m the most flexible on weekdays during the day, when the kids are at school and day care.