San Francisco's oldest toy store, which inspired the "Toy Story" films, is closing in February.
Jeffrey's Toys has been open since 1938, but the Luhn family, which founded and still runs the shop, admitted it had been struggling "for a number of years," saying crime and disorder in the city's downtown area were partially to blame, the British newspaper The Times reported.
The Luhns, in a statement released by the family lawyer, cited "the perils and violence of the downtown environment, inflation, the decrease in consumer spending and the demise of retail across the world," as reasons contributing toward the store's closure.
As The Times noted, thieves have targeted the store. In one incident, a member of staff had been threatened with being stabbed.
"The family is saddened it has come to this and we've explored all other options to try and keep the business going," the family said in its statement. "The leadership of the city of San Francisco and the Downtown Association have their work cut out for them on how to revitalize what was once a vibrant and fun downtown experience."
San Francisco has long grappled with challenges, notably homelessness, marked by frequent makeshift encampments on its streets. Crime also remains a persistent issue, with a 14% increase in robberies recorded last year compared to 2022, The Times noted.
In December, Matthew Luhn, co-owner of Jeffrey's Toys with his father, shared that the family paid a monthly rent of $20,000 for their Union Square shop. Luhn said that the family felt let down by the city.
"We're putting our money in, we're putting our hard work in, and we're putting our love into it," Luhn, who worked as an animator at Pixar and worked on the first "Toy Story" movie for the studio, said. "But, in the relationship we have with the city, that's not being returned."
He added: "During 'Toy Story,' we would have my dad come to give us ideas. And when we did reference for almost all the 'Toy Story' films, we always went to Jeffrey's Toys. My dad just closed up the store and said, 'Just play, have fun, and let me know if you need anything.'"
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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