New play spot for Kids on Franklin Avenue!

We just saw this place for the first time today! We stopped by to check it out, and it was locked , we assumed that whoever was running the place was in the bathroom or something. I'm really excited to check this out w/my 2 yo!

i stopped by before the holidays and bought a book for my daughter. The place is very nice, good selection of educational toys and books (and yes, very multicultural, which is always nice) and the owner (?) was very nice too. The party rental is a bit too expensive for my wallet. Definitely a great addition to the neighborhood, i just wished they had opened years ago when my kids where little and i had nowhere to hang out in the neighborhood!

Yes, Nairobi's Knapsack is going out of business at the end of the month. I believe the last day it will be open is two Saturdays from now. Unfortunately poor business has not allowed for them to profit. The sour taste in their mouth is that they invested a pretty penny to renovate the space to make it kid friendly, and whomever takes over from them will have a choice spot.

The owner has managed to maintain equanimity in the face of a great deal of chaos, namely inhospitable neighbors, and longtime residents of this community who never supported her. Adding insult to economic injury, on the day of the shooting on Lincoln Place and Franklin (May 19th I believe) she endured the stress of dealing with a stranger who barged in when she was closing and he gave her a counterfeit 100 dollar bill (And a recalcitrant police officer who refused to help her). All of this was described on the thread 'Shooting at the Corner of Lincoln and Franklin', I believe. She was in the store alone with her kids.

Her merchandise focus are books and toys that don't have computer chips in them, which allow the imagination to fill in the blanks. She always had a wonderful selection of things, and I have become a wonderfully regarded uncle and godfather as a result of what I have purchased there. It pains me to see her go.

I could go on and on about this. She thought that she would have provided a service to more members of the community that took advantage of it, that's for sure. She thought that the space would have been a nexus for people from diverse backgrounds and economic status to mix, and mingle, but alas, such has not been the case. One of my neighbors has a son and occasionally I would go into her store and get a educational book for him. This kid spends so much time on Playstation --- I've never seen him with a book in his hand,including the ones that I've bought him. The routine was the same. I approached his mother or his father and told them I got a book for him, and then I would mention where I got it from and encourage them to go in, literally pointing at the store. They never went in there.

Another kid I bought books for -- I never saw his parents and I felt a bit paranoid about talking to kids when their parents are not around. Before I gave this kid any books I wrote my name, telephone number and the name of the store where I got the book from; never heard from her. I would always tell him, "Tell your mom who I am, and tell her to give me a call, okay?" Unbeknownst to many, there are a large number of sex offenders who live in this neighborhood.... Needless to say, his mom never called either. Maybe she hangs out with DWARVa....

I drop these anecdotes because I think what is surprising is that despite their being an ample amount of parents in the area, only a small percentage of them valued the store, and the merchandise in it, and I will say that this is indicative of either a burgeoning or shrinking ethos in the neighborhood. I think the lack of business Nairobi's Knapsack received is much like the surge of business that most 99 cent stores receive. It says something about who is doing the buying. And, in my opinion, I don't think that what she had for sale was cost prohibitive. I certainly never bought any item over 15 bucks at any given time. Most of the books were under ten dollars.

I was in the store often and broached the topic of patronage, and the owner makes her case so clearly, so poignantly; so beautifully. I leave you with another anecdote that sums it up: I used to live directly across the street from Prospect Park, on Ocean Avenue. In the summer the kids who lived on the block would ride their bicycles on the narrow sidewalk, play catch, run -- basically do what all kids do. Their parents would either sit on fold up chairs in front of the buildings, or lean out the windows and watch their children. I would walk by and say, "You are right across the street from a PARK, why don't you take your kids there?" The responses were always the same: "Oh no, are you crazy? I'm not going in there!" They wouldn't cross the street. I saw kids grow up directly across the street from Prospect Park who NEVER went in.

This is so sad.

Hate to see the good guy that makes such a positive investment in and contribution to the community see this sort of end.

I don't live in the neighborhood, but I know several folks who had such great things to say about it.

It will be missed.

Ntfool your kids weren't the only one who enjoyed the 'marble-coaster'!-- That's what I called it. I love that thing! Occasionally she had children's books I read in my own childhood, and I always got a thrill to see something familiar. I bought some yo-yo's for some neighborhood kids and I was tempted to keep one for myself!

I think the store's lack of success says a great deal about the neighborhood, and what is valued.

this store closing down says a lot about the parents in this neighborhood

mr. met wrote: this store closing down says a lot about the parents in this neighborhood

that they can't yet afford private daycare?

...or maybe they are sending their kids to full day programs, like the one next to Abigails on Classon? ....or the Montessori school by Teddy's on Washington?

MHA wrote: No. That they don't think their kids should learn.

http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=58044

yet the zoned school is doing pretty well? (see last posts of referenced thread)

....hence my view that Knapsack may have been more expensive than the neighborhood was ready for, but it isn't that the local parents "don't think their kids should learn".

The local kids seem to be learning.

Lots of motivated middle class and working class families in the 'hood.

...But maybe not enough with $ to keep Knapsack open.

..or maybe they just took advantage of other child care options available, such as the few I mention above.

Because MHA only sees his side of the coin

MHA wrote: Nah dude. Your wrong here.

I think it says more about current parents thoughts about what children should be playing with and doing as children. The store focused on books, and old-fashioned toys (blocks, dolls, manipulatives, etc). Most kids today are asking parents for electronics (x-Box, Playstation, DS, etc) or action figures from movies and radio controlled cars. If the store had a window full of that crap then they would have gotten a lot more walk ins.

Look around at what kids are playing with. The kids across the street from me all have bikes, Several have electric cars (a la the Pink Hummer). One even has a small motorcycle. Occasionally you'll see a kid with a basketball or football. The little girls have dolls. But honestly, I see few kids outdoors with any types of toys. That makes a toy store that focuses on more traditional toys (as well as toys for mostly younger kids) a tough slog. I don't think its specific to just CH either. The toy store in PS on 7th avenue has lots of educational toys, but it also has a large collection of Legos, action heros, Hannah Montana paraphanalia, etc. That is what todays kids and parents are looking for.

MHA -- your statement is ridiculous.

I am a teacher. I have lots of kids to buy for. And I went in twice. Both times were for "fancy" baby gifts.

If I were a parent we never would have gone into the store, for sure.

-- Books -- there was a TINY selection with no range in topics and no non-picture books. And they cost full price!

-- Toys -- some were nice, but to buy "new" toys it had better be a fancy party you're going to. My toys were always hand made or hand-me-downs or from thriftstores. No way would my parents pay that sort of money for fancy toys for their own kid....

I grew up in a very educationally-based house and in no way would we have ever shopped at a "boutique" type of kid store. How could you expect it to thrive in an area where parents are struggling financially, etc.?

I thought the play room was a great idea, but it rarely had events happening that parents or nanny's could have brought kids to it seemed from my glancing at fliers. It seemed more for rentals which cost $$ -- and again, what's wrong with a church basement, etc. that is free?

I don't agree with MHA at all here.

I think it says more about current parents thoughts about what children should be playing with and doing as children. The store focused on books, and old-fashioned toys (blocks, dolls, manipulatives, etc). Most kids today are asking parents for electronics (x-Box, Playstation, DS, etc) or action figures from movies and radio controlled cars.

that they can't yet afford private daycare?

if a parent doesn't think a kid should be "playing" with books...

if they can afford the electronics, they can afford educational toys.

i can't think of any other store like this in crown heights. there are tons of kids in crown heights. something doesn't add up.

mr. met wrote:

I think it says more about current parents thoughts about what children should be playing with and doing as children. The store focused on books, and old-fashioned toys (blocks, dolls, manipulatives, etc). Most kids today are asking parents for electronics (x-Box, Playstation, DS, etc) or action figures from movies and radio controlled cars.

that they can't yet afford private daycare?

if a parent doesn't think a kid should be "playing" with books...

if they can afford the electronics, they can afford educational toys.

i can't think of any other store like this in crown heights. there are tons of kids in crown heights. something doesn't add up.

Because its the day before a long weekend, I decided to look up the most popular toys from 2009. In no particular order

1) Barbie Twilight Bella and Edward Dolls
2) Elmo Live
3) Kids Digital Camera by VTech
4) Transformer toys and merchandise
5) Bakugan Brawlers
6) Harry Potter merchandise
7) High School Musical merchandise
8) Hannah Montana merchandise
9) Dora the Explorer merchandise
10) Webkinz
11) Bratz dolls and merchandise
12) Eyeclops toys
13) Power Rangers merchandise
14) Video games (general)
15) Nintendo Wii

If 80% of the kids are asking for this stuff, it becomes pretty obvious why a toy store that doesn't carry these items might not survive.