Urban Kids Play is set back from the street. But what many retailers might see as a drawback is more than made up for by the store's charm, which is evident before you even enter.
A large, colorful sign points you off the beaten path that is Queen Anne Avenue. A learner's bike, with no training wheels and no pedals, and a scooter below it are dramatically lit in the bay window of the dark-red house.
As you approach the house past a huge maple tree, on the walkway underfoot is a chalk-drawn hopscotch grid, then the word "welcome" also written in chalk. Entering the store, you walk over two round, bright-orange area rugs.
The walls inside are painted a cheerful apricot, offsetting a cornucopia of children's toys, shoes and gifts. "We carry cool stuff that we would want for our own kids," says Mikki Kingrey, who co-owns the store with her husband Curtis. "We believe in buying better-quality but fewer toys - toys that last. How kids play with them evolves as they grow."
She and Curtis live on Queen Anne, just a few blocks from the store, with their two daughters Macy, 3 1/2 years old, and Elly, 6 months. Before they had children, Curtis worked in sales and marketing and Mikki worked for Classmates.com. When Macy was born, Mikki continued her job and Curtis became a stay-at-home dad.
"But we both have the entrepreneurial gene," says Mikki. "We really wanted our own business." Urban Kids Play went online when Macy was a year old. On March 12 this year, the store opened.
The Kingreys have developed a passion for play as a critical component in a child's life. The word "urban" is in their business name because city kids have less space to play in than other kids. "In a time when kids are often overscheduled and overstimulated," says Curtis, "we recognized the need for simplicity."
Some of the shoe brands they carry are Ecco, Merrell, Morgan & Milo, New Balance, Primigi and Umi. Toy labels include Corolle, Haba, Käthe Kruse, Latitude Enfant, Plan Toys and Selecta. Among other items available are puzzles, art supplies and organic skin-care products.
The store specializes in European and wooden toys. "Many European toys are naturally made," explains Mikki. "We wanted to make them more available in this area." Wooden toys are colored with non-toxic dyes and beeswax (not paint), and they're manufactured with sustainable woods. The German company Haba, for example, grows its own trees specifically for making toys. "They have their own sustainable forest," says Curtis.
Käthe Kruse dolls are handmade in Germany, as they have been for a hundred years.
Urban Kids Play also carries American-made items, many of them made locally, including whimsical barrettes, Baby Legs (footless leggings) and Woobee blankets, which are soft on one side and water-resistant on the other.
There are no battery-operated or plastic toys at Urban Kids Play, with the exception of plastic bath toys. "Everything is kid-powered," says Mikki.
Prices range from $1 for a bag of colored bath fizzies to $430 for a play table with compartments and a chalkboard top. The store's decor is childproof, and there is plenty to keep youngsters occupied while their parents shop.
IN ADDITION TO merchandise, Urban Kids Play offers free events such as story time (sometimes with readings by older kids), Spanish story time, arts-and-crafts and kids' yoga. Mikki Kingrey is a certified infant, toddler, prenatal and adult yoga instructor. Events are usually held on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the day. Nine events are scheduled for May.
Urban Kids Play is located at 1805 Queen Anne Ave. N. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, log on to www.urbankidsplay.com or call 285-PLAY (7529).
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