The San Francisco toy store that helped inspire the animators behind Disney's 'Toy Story' franchise is the latest retailer to close in the embattled left-leaning city, due in part to falling downtown traffic. rising costs and spiraling crime.
Jeffrey's Toys, which bills itself as “San Francisco's oldest toy store,” will close permanently on February 10. Matthew Luhn, who co-owns the store with his father and stepmother, told SFGATE website in December that the store was struggling to stay afloat due to the rise in online shopping, but also because of problems in downtown San Francisco — street drug use, theft and violence.
An employee stopped working at the store after five years after someone pushed her against a wall and tried to stab her, Luhn told SFGATE. He also blamed San Francisco politicians, saying “we need a healthier relationship with the city,” including financial aid and stronger efforts to crack down on receiving operations where stolen goods are sold.
“We're investing our money, we're working hard and we're putting our love into it,” Luhn said. “But, in the relationship we have with the city, this is not being reciprocated.”
The store first opened in 1938 as a variety store called Birdie's, before switching to exclusively selling toys in 1953, during the post-World War II baby boom, according to its website. The store was renamed Jeffrey's Toys in 1966.
The store has been owned and operated by four generations of the same family. The Luhn family has been paying $20,000 a month in rent for their Kearny Street location.
In the 1990s, Luhn was one of 12 animators hired for the original 'Toy Story' film. He told SFGATE that, while they were making the film, his father came in to give ideas to the animators. “And when we made references to almost every 'Toy Story' movie, we always went to Jeffrey's Toys,” Luhn said. “My dad would just close the store and say, 'Just play, have fun and let me know if you need anything.'”
Last week, Jeffrey's posted a message on its Facebook page thanking its supporters and stating that “Everything has an end” as the store makes its “way to the finish line (in a few weeks).” One commenter on the post suggested they reopen in Texas, where they “wouldn't have to worry about all the violence, crime, and drugs.” Another blamed the store's impending closure on “San Francisco leftists and their crime-enabling city government.” Another simply wrote: “NOOOOOOOOOOOO.”
A lawyer for the Luhn family told the Washington Post that the store “has struggled for several years” and that the closure is due to “the dangers and violence of the downtown environment, inflation, decreased consumer spending, and the decline of retail worldwide.”
Coming out of the pandemic, San Francisco has faced rising crime, open-air drug use in the city's downtown, proliferation of homeless encampments, along with abandoned technology offices, prompting several big-name retailers to leave the city. In 2021, Walgreens cited organized crime and rampant theft as reasons for closing stores in San Francisco. Whole Foods closed its downtown store last year, a year after opening, due to deteriorating street conditions. A month later, Nordstrom announced it was closing its two San Francisco stores because of the crime.
Last summer, the owners of Westfield Mall in downtown San Francisco announced they were leaving the city. An analysis of the National Review of emergency management data found that over three years, authorities were called to the mall more than 5,000 times for a variety of reasons, from thefts and purse snatchings to reports of assaults, people with knives and guns, people mentally ill. disturbed in crisis and indecent exposure.
AT&T, Banana Republic, Starbucks, Target, Disney and Anthopologie are among other retailers that have recently closed stores in San Francisco.
©2024 National Review. Published with permission. Original in English: San Francisco Toy Store That Inspired Toy Story Franchise Set to Close Due to Rising Crime, Disorder
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