We love the West Village, and newbie Teich Toys gives us just one more reason to visit. Allison Teich McGown and JJ McGowan, the husband and wife team behind Teich Design, a men and women’s fashion retail boutique, have expanded their business to include a new circus-themed toy store for kids ages newborn to 12.
Toys for the Kid In All of Us
As the mom of a three-year-old, Allison knew she wanted her store to be unique, offering vintage and eco-friendly toys for families. No plastic or noisy playthings here! Instead, you’ll find classics—board games (think Candy Land and Scrabble), Slinkys and glow-in-the dark star stickers!
“At a time when children are increasingly consumed with smartphones and gadgets, we wanted to create a place where families can go back to the basics with simple, high quality products that inspire the imagination and create important social skills,” said owner Allison McGowan. “Whether experiencing a puppet show or putting together an airplane kit, we hope locals and visitors will find a place where they can make memorable experiences—and shop for all their baby and children’s gifting needs.”
In keeping with the vintage circus theme, the store is decorated with bold reds and yellows, and there’s even a wooden train for kids to crawl on and play in. At the roll-out theater in the corner, kids can catch a puppet show while you peruse the goods.
We were especially fond of the huge selection of eco-friendly toys. Some of our favorites included Beka’s natural wood products (especially the blocks and art easels), Manny & Simon’s eco-friendly wooden heirloom toys and Uncle Goose’s US-manufactured wood alphabet blocks. There are even biodegradable plastic sand toys—they’re actually made with corn! (We, of course, had to pick up a few ourselves!)
They also carry adorable custom-made “NYC” tees and onesies by Grass & Clovers—perfect for hip New York kids. (They also make really great—and unique!—baby shower presents.
Prices range from $10 to $150—so, there’s something for everyone—and the store is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. And, good news: Coming soon, you’ll also be able to purchase toys directly from Teich’s website—www.teichdeigns.com.
WHILE YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
★ Bleecker Playground
If your kids are anything like ours, plan on spending a few hours at Bleecker Playground(across the street from Teich, between Hudson Street and Bleecker Street). Inside, you’ll find climbing equipment. sprinklers, a sand pit and the occasional celebrity (Katie Holmes and Sarah Jessica Parker and their tykes are known to stop by!). There’s even a man playing the piano within hearing distance.
★ Cowgirl Hall of Fame
When the kids get hungry, make a pit stop at the country-western themed Cowgirl—it’s one of our favorite city restaurants for families. They have a stellar children’s menu; kids can choose from items like the Texas Scramble (eggs with potatoes and a biscuit) and the Frito Pie (a bag of fritos topped with beef brisket chili or veggie chili and cheddar cheese). There’s also lots of fun things to keep kids entertained while they wait for their meal to arrive.
