(Here's a second post from Julia, one of the finalists vying for a blogging position at the upcoming AT:The Nursery. Comment away.)
There are rare treasures to discover in every nook and corner of the modestly sized store called Romp in Park Slope.
A large "potholder rug" made entirely of recycled T-shirts and sweaters brightens up a wall. Next to that- a lime and lemon colored giraffe made from vintage wallpaper.
While I played with a walking, wooden hedgehog, a precocious seven-year-old boy politely informed his father that he was not quite ready to leave yet. I watched him happily spin tops and play a miniature accordion with a pensive look on his face. But this store captures the imaginations of children and adults alike. Adults were eager to share their finds with each other:"Look at this!" "That is unreal." "I love it. It caught my eye immediately!"
On my visit, I was lucky enough to see a new shipment arrive of a most unusual doll from the Netherlands. The Sophie and Naomi dolls are a great example of what makes Romp special. Owner Jenn LaBelle told me, "The fun part for me is seeking stuff that no one else has. There are things in here that literally no one else in the U.S. has."
romp is a such a great shop- jen and her sister adrienne are as sweet as they are talented :)
grace
the name says it all - i love it!
Romp is a great store, and definitely worth the trek to Brooklyn. There is something in every price range, and everything is eye-pleasing and fun. My 2 year old can spend hours in there.
Another great toy store is Belle and Maxie, on Cortelyou Road in Ditmas Park. It's a little futher into the BK, but like Romp, the owner takes great pride in finding unusual and fun toys, many of them very reasonably priced.
We're so lucky to have such great resources for our kids. Support the local stores!
Oh...colorforms! This looks like a fun store!
My 3 year old loves Romp. Probably the best kids store in all of brooklyn, but there are actually lots of great gifts for adults as well.