Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Next Stop, Kidrobot!

During his visit with Frank, Sharon and his labbit ancestors, Frank and Sharon asked if Pipkin had stopped by the Kidrobot store. Pipkin admitted no, and that he was afraid of taking pictures in the store because someone might mistake him for an in-shop labbit and make him relive a life of waiting for his forever home on the shelves. Frank said not to worry, that he could go in and take pictures and if there was trouble to tell the people in the shop that he was a Very Good Personal Friend of Mr. Kozik. Also, Frank assured Pip that the people in the shop were really friendly, so it wouldn't be a problem anyway!

So Pipkin hopped over to the shop on Haight St, (which was very busy and colorful and had lots of fun shops and interesting looking hoomans) and took a look at all toys. It was his first time in a Kidrobot store and there is lots in there, despite the small footprint. Along the row that Pipkin's sitting on are all the blind boxed toys. If you are new to the concept of blind box toys, it is a lot of fun! Each artist comes out with a unique series of toys, and the box often shows you what you could get...with a few mystery toys that often occur less frequently. You won't know who will be inside until you open up the package, which is the fun of it! (If you're a collector though, this starts to be less fun as you accumulate more and more and keep chasing after the rare guys. But that's what trading is for!) 

Above the row of blind boxes are lit cases of toys from a wide range of kidrobot artists. There are also blank DIY Munny toys: they come in monkey, bear, cat, giraffe, and...some sort of unlabeled "monster". They're blank white (or glow in the dark!) and just begging to be customized. And in case you're a blind box fan, there's an unknown accessory in the box that might inspire your DIY design. 

Along the opposite wall, there are t-shirts, hats, bags, more plushes, and a whackton of Kozik art - busts, the 10" MechaBanana, and many of the newest 10" labbits, including the new bondage labbit, glossy labbit and Choice Cuts labbit.

Pipkin himself came from a small boutique in Port Townsend, WA. He kinda wished he grew up in a Kidrobot store - he would have had soooo many more friends! 

Back then he didn't even know he had other plushy cousins! From L - R: Labitus Tigrus Rotundii (aka Tiger Labbit); Labbitus Bos Taurus (aka Cow Labbit); Minty Fresh, the Candy Cane Christmas Labbit, and beneath him the Zebra 'Stache Labbit; Pipkin!; Leopard 'Stache Labbits (Pipkin wonders what Edward's been up to with the labbits at night); and the original plush 'Stache Labbits. He might not have minded store life so much if he had these guys around.

Plus, these two guys, Luke and Ryan, work at the shop and are really sweet! Ryan saw Pipkin hopping around the shop and said, "excuse me, but are you friends with Frank? I think I recognize you from a picture I saw..." Pipkin suspects Sharon sent the shop pictures that she took with her phone, and let them know Pipkin might be hopping by because there's no other way Ryan would have known...Sharon is the bestest! It made Pipkin feel like a celebrity. Luke and Ryan were both impressed that Pipkin got to visit Frank's studio.

Pipkin can't wait to tell Clover about seeing this! It's a sculpture version of the silkscreen Uprisings by Kozyndan! You can see Clover admiring this print here.

How much is that laaaaabit in the windoooow?

For kicks, Pipkin spent a little time in the window, but in the end, he realized he's got so much of the world to see, plus a family that loves him back in Vermont, so he said goo-bye to the shop, and assured everyone that one day someone would take them all home. And, before he left...

...he couldn't help but adopt this guy, a 7" Labbitus Bos Taurus. He was up on the shelf with Pipkin in the picture with the plushies. One look into his sweet eyes and Pipkin knew he had made a friend. Welcome to the fambly!

Visit Kidrobot San Francisco! You can find DIY events, artist signings, blind box trading, customization workshops and more fun at the store by checking their regularly updated events page.

1512 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
415-487-9000
sfstore@kidrobot.com
Regular Hours
Sunday-Thursday:
11:00 am to 7:00 pm
Friday-Saturday:
11:00 am to 8:00 pm


3 comments:

  1. I'm jealous. Meow. Lick Lick. Meowrrr.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just purchased a cow labbit and am going crazy over them. Hooray for labbits!

    ReplyDelete

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