A family-owned business that has stood for generations and played a part in the creation of Pixar’s iconic Toy Story franchise is closing their doors for good in the next few weeks.
What’s Happening:
- Jeffrey's Toys, a fourth-generation family business which describes itself as San Francisco's oldest toy store, is closing permanently within the next few weeks, according to a social media post from the business.
- The Union Square location at 45 Kearny St. is the last of what was once seven Jeffrey's Toys around the San Francisco Bay Area. The business originally opened as Birdie's Variety store before World War II in 1938, and converted to Birdie's Toyhouse in the 1950s before a decade later becoming Jeffrey's Toys.
- According to the store’s website, Founders Morton and Birdie Luhn began exclusively selling toys after World War II, eventually transferring ownership of the location to their grandson, Mark Luhn. His son (and current co-owner of the store), Matthew Luhn, has a rich history in the story department at Pixar Animation Studios, where he contributed to films like Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, Up, Cars, Ratatouille, and the Toy Story films.
- Pixar Animation Studios is also based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, with its campus located in Emeryville, across the bay from the Jeffrey’s location.
- Luhn told SFGate back in December that the store had a role in the development of the original Toy Story, saying “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.’”
- While the legacy of the Toy Story films lives on, unfortunately, Jeffrey’s Toys will not. The store is due to close by the end of February, but the store hasn’t given an exact date at this time.
- Similar to other downtown San Francisco businesses, including Whole Foods, Old Navy, Saks Off 5th, Office Depot, Athleta, Abercrombie & Fitch, Disney, Marshall’s, H&M, and Gap, the closure is blamed largely on the city’s rise in criminal activity and violence.
- Ken Sterling of Sterling Venture Law, attorney for the family, told The San Francisco Chronicle recently that “The store has been struggling for a number of years, due to the perils and violence of the downtown environment, inflation, the decrease in consumer spending and the demise of retail across the world. The family is saddened it has come to this and we’ve explored all other options to try and keep the business going. 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.”
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