ToyCyte: Toy Culture Collected

Blindsided: A ToyCyte Investigation – Part 3: Toy Stores

All this week, ToyCyte has been having a conversation about blind box toys: Are they a marketing strategy or a fun experience? As designer toys travel from toy company to toy fan, they pass through a middleman: the toy retailer. In this segment of our report, we’ll hear from the proprietors of our favorite toy stores. Toy retailers are an eloquent and gregarious bunch who are also collectors and members of our community. Rotofugi, Ningyoushi, Toy Tokyo, Shoparooni, Red Hot Robot, Lulubell Toy Bodega, Wizard Sleeve Toys and hometown heroes, The Sausalito Ferry Company all gave their two cents (sometimes more) for the story.

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Squeaky Queen’s Apothecary & Curiosities at Shoparooni Annex

Shoparooni is pleased to announce the second installation store in The Annex, its new adjoining gallery space. Opening Saturday, January 17th at 8 PM will be Squeaky Queen’s Apothecary & Curiosities, featuring handmade soaps, oils, balms, paintings, and plush sculptures by Medina, OH artist Amanda Spayd. Amanda’s paintings and plush sculptures have been featured in galleries all [...]

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Midwest Plushform Show Sneak Previews

Steve from Shoparooni just sent us some plushform previews from the upcoming Midwest Plushform Show [tagged]. The reveals include softies by ToyCyte homies Phoebe Marie (in collaboration with Rancid) and Chris Ryniak, as well as innovative submissions by Cheryl Andrey, Craig Tucker and Sean Mahan. See the evolving roster of Plushform customizers here. [...]

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Shoparooni Dunny Release Party and Raffle!

Who doesn’t love a good excuse to party? Well Shoparooni in Cleveland, Ohio, has found a great one. They’ll be having a Kidrobot Series 5 Dunny Release Party & Raffle on Thursday September 4th from 7 to 10pm. I’m sure you know ALL about the new set that includes blind box figures from Amanda Visell, [...]

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