Decisions Decisions

A few basics that you need to keep in mind when you're buying for any business are..
The latest trends; Keeping track of your budget; Choosing the colors, styles and sizes; Knowing the quantities you should order; Negotiating the terms; Marking your calendar for the anticipated delivery dates; And finally merchandising, as a buyer you need to be able to visualize where there is going to be room to display the new funky merchandise. Whether it's in the store or your "online shop." 

Early Monday morning I caught the C train heading to uptown Manhattan from my Bed-Stuy apartment. About thirty minutes later I arrived at the Colombus Circle station. I plugged into my headphones and began jamming out to Beyonce while I strut down four avenues and four blocks to my destination, Pier 92 on the West Side of my Big Apple.

A quick change out of my Nike id customized Fly-nits to my 2-inch Jimmy Choos, and I was ready to enter the ENK Children's Club Show.

If you've never been to a trade show allow me to enlighten you..

The "BUYER" badge makes you as sought after as Juan Pablo from this seasons Bachelor. 

 

The showcases are as loud and colorful as the people smiling inside of their booths.

As me and my highly opionated team strolled down the first isle we began to place some orders for this years camp season. 

My team for the day: Debbie and Barri.

One of the booths we stopped at was loaded with lounge wear twerking for attention. The company Made With Love and Kisses, is one of the country’s premier children's wear manufacturers, designing apparel and accessories for children and adults alike. Running the booth was owner and designer, Charlie--A Louis CK look alike if there ever was one. Here I am with Charlie rocking one of his latest styles for this upcoming camp season.

But the real stars of his booth were Charlie's unique, colorful and charming prints that were printed on the lusciously warm and comfy two toned shorts, robes and poncho sweatshirts for boys and girls. Below is a picture of me holding one of the most exciting styles that we ordered, coming to Funky Monkey this March. 

With heart shaped swim goggles reminiscent of Elton John's earlier days, Bling Swim 2o is the premier swim goggle company that swayed another of my buying decisions! Too bad this line is seasonal for us, or we'd be carrying them all year. We carried these bedazzled gems last year, But let me tell you, this year the goggle fashion wear has stepped up their goggle game!  The latest styles for boys were especially impressive--Even Snoopy's Red Baron would be proud to wear them. I'm sworn to secrecy on their exciting new line, but I promise you'll love them this March, when they'll be featured on our shelves and have special placement on our homepage to buy at your favorite online toy experience  

www.funkymonkeytoys.com 

Hope you enjoyed this peek into all that goes into selecting the latest and greatest just for those special kids in your life.

Remember When….

Stop being misled!

I'm constantly getting solicited by websites trying to get me to reminisce with them about "the good old days."

You remember them, right?

The days when your only real responsibilities were school, taking out the garbage & making your bed.

The days when the only real trouble that you could cause would cost you a weeks allowance.

The days when you ate "French Toast Crunch" for breakfast, and "string things" before lunch. 

And most importantly, the days you spent playing with your…

Little People, Pogs, G.I. Joe's, Furby's, Tamagotchi's & Beanie Babies.

Yeahhhhh… Those were the days!

Wake Up People! 

All your favorite toys are still around!

And I don't mean on eBay with a $200 mark up.

Your most beloved toys went through puberty just like you!

And guess what, they are just as much fun, safer and more durable than ever.

I'm not saying having a sense of nostaglia is wrong,

and I understand that it's not the same as it was in the "good old days"...

But you seriously need to stop being misled.

Realize you can go into any toy store and relive some of your fondest memories. 

Check It Out

Rock'Em Sock'Em

1964

Do you want to be Red Rocker or Blue Bomber?

Today

I could even take it a step further.

Have you ever heard of Battroborg?

It's an advanced version of Rock'em Sock'em.

Battling, Motion Controlled Robots that come with equipped wireless remotes that put YOU in control!

Little People

I know they have been around since 1950, but they were not trademarked until 1985.

On the left is Fisher Price's original School Bus as well as their original Little People. On the right is today's Fisher Price Little People School Bus. Study This. 

Tell me which one you think is better for play? 

Beanie Babies

1973

I've had the pleasure of meeting Ty Warner, one of the most influential names in the toy industry on several occasions. Including the time I was invited to take a tour of his Penthouse at The Four Seasons, New York City. 

If you are ever around 57 E 57th Street, you should check out this Hotel that is decorated  throughout with Beanie Babies.

They even have an exclusive TY Store and an amazing art collection as well.

Remember searching every where possible to find the one beanie baby that you were missing from your collection?

Standing outside on line forever to get your hands on that Rare Princess Diana TY Purple Bear?

Well, we are not the only generation to fiend for this craze.

The epidemic is bigger than ever.

Today's Beanies feature bigger eyes and softer bodies.

Today's generation is not only collecting beanie babies but

TY Beanie Boos Medium

TY Beanie Boos Large

(I dressed these up in PAMELA Tutu's to show off our new dress up)

TY Beanie Ballz and Monstaz

and I forgot to mention that any of your child's most favorite cartoon characters are likely licensed to TY. Like Hello Kitty.

Furby

1998

This Owl/Hamster Giga Electronic Robotic Pet took the Prize for 1998-2000.

Selling a little more 40 Million Furbies in the first three years of production.

The Furbish language has yet to disappear. 

doo-dah!: Yes!

wee-tah-kah-wee-loo: tell me a story.

It's A Furby BOOM since 2012!

Now you can download the app that will translate and teach you the language of Furbish!

Click Here To Check It Out

In the 16 years that Furby has been around, there have been plenty of "wannabes." 

One thing is for sure,

There is only one FURBY!

Fijit Friends

Poo-Chi

So Visit 

www.funkymonkeytoys.com

to give your children and the child that still lives inside of you joy.

Who The Heck Is Jetspear?

I spend a lot of time exploring New York City.

Not to long ago I came across this great shop called SALVOR.

They are located in the lower east side.

172 Forsyth Street

New York, NY 10002

The store is awesome. 

It's like Art meets Fashion meets Trendy Gadgets!

Really Neat! 

If you are ever in around the area, definitely check it out.

P.S. Their hat and scarf collection is out of this world, One Of A Kind.

What's this post about??

Jetspear

Who's That?!

Just A Brilliant Genius Mastermind 8 year Old Boy.

This store Salvor carries a couple of his pieces.

Watch below to see him build three lego guns over the span of 55 seconds. 

I just have never seen anything like it.

There is not much of a presence of the kid on the internet. 

They do have a website, www.jetspear.com  but there ain't much content.

The 8 year old builds them for fun, but then sells them to promote awareness for gun violence.

"A child or teen dies or is injured from guns every 30 minutes."

That's All I Have On Him. 

If you know anything please share it!

Make sure to visit their website to check out more models

Past, Present, and Future!

Top Toys Of The Year 2013

Top Toys Of The Year 2013

When searching the internet for the top toys of the year, I noticed that many of the lists/results out there are based upon sales. Don't get me wrong, an item that ranks toy of the year should definitely generate a lot of sales, but I don't believe that it should be the deciding factor.

What's my criteria for a toy to end up on my list?

hmmmm…

Well it's gotta have some spunk!

It must be trendy, educational, and ignite the imagination. 

It is not measured by the size or by the price.

It is measured by the smile on your loved ones face. 

(Please Note That This List Is In Random Order)

Rainbow Looms!

The craft that literally swept the nation. For boys and girls of ALL ages. 

The kit that parents were just as addicted to as the kids!

 

Kids from all over the East Coast came to visit Funky Monkey and shop for…

Tie-Dye Rubber-bands, Glitter Rubber-bands, Tie-Dye/ Glitter Rubber-bands, Clear Rubberbands, Red Rubber-bands, Blue Rubber-bands, Pink Rubber-bands, Yellow Rubber-bands, Grey Rubber-bands, Black Rubber-bands, Purple Rubber-bands, Charms For The Rubber-bands, Cases for the Rubber-bands!

Yes I'm Talking About A Rubber-band Epidemic! 

What is it?! 

It's a toy loom that children use to turn colorful RUBBER-BANDS into Bracelets, Necklaces and other types of Jewelry!

Who Started It?

Our good Friend Mr. Choon!

Mr. Choon and his wife Fen, along with their two daughters came to Funky Money this past October!

And Oh Boy! 

Look How Our Rainbow Loomer's Were So Excited To Meet The Professionals!

The Family Spent Three Hours Teaching Exclusive Looming Patterns To Our Guests and Signing Autographs!

                                             (Guest, Mr. Choon, Guest)

Dancing Water Speakers!

Another Toy That Proved To Be Timeless.  

I got a pair for my 3 year old Cousin, my 8 year old Cousin, my Aunt and my Mom!

I seriously love them.  

They are made by the company, Leading Edge.

Heard of them before? Probably.

It's the same company that invented Bailey The Piggy Bank, and the Light Up Whirly Wheel!

Usually I'd want to be original when telling you about the product, but in this case the manufacturers description is brilliant and I must share it with you!

"Do you wish you were standing in front of the glorious Bellagio fountains in Vegas right about now? Would you settle for a dancing water show right on top of your desk? Having a pair of these Dancing Water Computer Speakers won'’t astound you like the Bellagio fountains. However, the speakers do incorporate some of the same key elements, i.e. lights, water movement and music, to bring you a highly enjoyable desktop light-show. The two desktop speakers feature powerful, built-in water fountains that ‘dance’ to the beat of the song. Dancing Water speakers plug right into your computer, with no batteries or external power required. Just plug them in, and enjoy the show!"

Click Here To Buy A Pair Of Dancing Water Speakers

Crazy Aaron's Silly Puty

Remember when we were kids?

And used to get the ten-cent red plastic egg full of putty?

Maybe spend a hour or two pressing it into newspaper articles?

Play with it until it dried out?

Yeah, Well It's A New Age People!

Wake Up! Silly Putty Is "Old School"

Meet Crazy Aaron!

He Is The Newest, Coolest, And Squishiest!

He NEVER dries out!

He comes in all the Primary Colors, Electric and Metallic Colors

that you can possibly think of!

Glow In The Dark colors!

Colors that are heat sensitive and adjust color as you play with them.

Super Magnetic Tin's that include a magnet to steer the direction of your putty!

And My Favorite, The Crystal Clear Putty!

Click Here To Discover Thinking Putty!

100 Piece Set of Magna-tiles

They Come In Clear (translucent) Primary Colors, and Solid Primary Colors.

The set is recommended for 3&UP but personally it's simple enough for a 2.5 year old.

The Set Includes, Big Squares, Little Squares, and Different Types of Triangles.

The parameters of the shapes are magnetic making it simple for building. 

Not to mention the fact that clean up is quick and easy!

It's Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve at the Funky Monkey and as usual

Our store is full of last minute shoppers…

Yes That's Right! 

Your Husbands!

Your Sons!

Your Grandfathers!

Your Nephews!

Your Uncles!

Typical Men!

In other news :)

Christmas Time Is Finally Here!

We Have A Line Out The Door For People Waiting For Their Gifts To Be Wrapped!

Cheerful Music That Is Playing Throughout The Store!

Our Shelves Are Bare!

We Truly Have The Most Amazing Costumers In The World!

I'd Like To Wish Everyone A Merry Christmas On Behalf Of The Funky Monkey!

YUMMY'S!!!

YUMMYS!

My Pick Of The Week!

It's been years since a small plastic key ring became the fad.
These small little food shaped key-rings have been a growing sensation to the point that +Funky Monkey Toys & Books has to limit the amount a customer can buy, to ensure every child gets a chance at one.

They are designed by artists who work with KidRobot. The designer toys sold by KidRobot are the "centerpieces" of a new and growing artistic movement! 

WOW! Right?!

Can you believe that the same key-ring that your child is sporting, was actually a piece of the collection displayed at the #NY #MOMA Museum back in 2007!

Want to really be WOW'd?! Okay… Toys from the KidRobot Line retail from $6.00 to $20,000.00! And are even expected to appreciate over time! Why? Because these collectibles/collaborations  are extremely rare and hard to find anywhere else!

These Keychains, Stuffed Breakfast's & Desserts Are Totally Cute! Plus Super Trendy!

You Can Find The Stuffed Ones At
http://www.funkymonkeytoys.com/index.php?keyword=yummy&option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&Itemid=26

(if you or your child has a large collection of the key-ring's, we suggest our personalized storage cases for safe keeping!)

:) Britt

Why Blog?

Hello! 
My Name Is Brittany :)

After several requests for a blog, I'm FINALLY Going To Do It!

What Is My Blog About?
Only The Coolest, Trendiest, and Most Fun Fads For Kids! 

For The Past 6 Years Now I Have Worked For The Brilliant Master Mind and Toy Legend Mr. Stanley Greenman. The Founder and Former Owner Of Play World and Noodle Kidoodle, "Where Kids Learn Best While Having Fun!"

When I'm not at Brooklyn College earning my Business Finance/Marketing degree, I am attending various Toy and Gift Shows around the world.  I am excited to share with you all the new exciting trends that I run into on a daily basis. As well as being a toy buyer for "Funky Monkey Toys and Books," an upscale toy boutique in Greenvale, NY, I run the Funky Monkey Website        http://www.funkymonkeytoys.com

So… An ovbious benefit for reading my blog, is that if there is something that you love, most likely you can find it on our website. 

Finally, I LOVE MY PUPPY LILY! 

#toys   #kids   #shopping   #toystore   #cute   #favorite  #puppy   #funky