LINCOLN PARK — Good news, toy collectors: Rotofugi isn't going anywhere.
When the beloved toy shop, 2780 N. Lincoln Ave., was in danger of closing earlier this summer, its owners, husband-and-wife team Kirby and Whitney Kerr, sprung into action: The pair put out a call for help by sending an email to customers and simply asking them to come in and shop.
It worked.
"I'm happy to report that the community responded in an amazing way ... not only have we been flooded with orders (our team here will be packing and shipping through the weekend so that we can get caught up) but we have been showered with kind words, love and generous offers to help," Kirby Kerr wrote in an email to customers.
The shop sold about $50,000 worth of merchandise in the five days after the email, according to Whitney Kerr. That's about double what the shop needed to immediately survive.
"We were really blown away," Whitney Kerr told DNAinfo. "We're in a place where we can move forward. We're caught up with all of our vendors and paying everyone on time."
She called the support "life-affirming."
"When the business is struggling and you're not getting the numbers you need to make it self-sustaining, it really makes you question what you're doing, what value you provide," she said.
Now, after seeing orders and letters of support flood in, Whitney Kerr said those doubts are gone.
"What we do is absolutely valuable," she said.
Still, the shop needs to find ways to make more money to ensure long-term success, Whitney Kerr said. (One of the main reasons the shop was struggling was because of a declining interest in collectible toys.) To do that, she said she and her husband are gearing up to rent out the space for private events.
"We're not rolling in money by any stretch of the imagination," she said. "To stay on track, we're really going to need to host events."
Over the last 12 years, Rotofugi has grown from a small shop in Ukrainian Village, 1953 W. Chicago Ave., to a "must-visit" for toy enthusiasts around the world.
Rotofugi is the only shop of its kind in the Midwest. It sells designer toys, including pop culture collectibles and vinyl figurines, and functions as a gallery where local and nationally known artists showcase their work.
The shop has called Lincoln Park home for the last six years.
"All I have is gratitude for our patrons and the people who support this store," Whitney Kerr said. "It's been really amazing, and I'm super grateful."
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
