By Carol Tannenhauser
Alice Bergman, an early feminist, civil rights activist, and founder of the iconic Upper West Side toy store, West Side Kids, died peacefully on Saturday morning, her daughter Jennifer Bergman informed the community in an email. The cause was pneumonia. Alice was 86.
“Friday, she had a good day,” Jennifer wrote. “She spoke to friends on the phone, spent time with each of us and talked about her goals. Both Les [Jen’s younger sister] and I were by her side when she died. Her body was so fragile, but her mind and spirit were strong and fierce.”
Those words seemed to define Alice Bergman, who arrived on the Upper West Side in 1961. In 1971, she started a handmade toy company, called Toys for All Children, eschewing the then-standard blond, blue-eyed, male-dominated version of reality for a more ethnically diverse, non-sexist one.
“She made an African-American, woman-doctor puppet – in 1971!” Jennifer exulted. “She was way ahead of her time.”
In 1981, she opened West Side Kids.
“I haven’t really changed very much about the store since she retired in 2014,” Jennifer said. And why should she?
It is a beautiful, old space – brightly painted, covered from polished-wood floor to painted-tin ceiling with shelves and stacks of toys and books. (There’s even a copy of the Constitution!)
“My mother’s philosophy about toys was very strong,” Jennifer told WSR in an earlier interview. “Play is a child’s work, and toys are the tools for that work. You need the correct tools to grow into a creative, interesting adult.”
Sorry to hear of the founder’s passing! Great local business that our 3 young girls love. Will continue to support local gems like this.
My condolences to her family – she sounds like she was an incredible person. It is a great store – we were there a few days ago. A great selection of items and the staff is always very helpful. A true neighborhood gem. Thank you to Ms. Bergman for her contribution to the UWS.
She leaves behind something of enduring value to the neighborhood. May she Rest In Peace and may her family take comfort in the lasting beauty of her contribution to the neighborhood.
Alice Bergman was a delightful person, always helped me picking out toys for friends and family. Fond memories.
I bought all my daughter’s toys there through her childhood and Alice’s guidance was impeccable. (Nice that she had sales twice a year!) She was no-nonsense but friendly and I always enjoyed a trip to the store. Sorry to hear about her death but her daughter continues the great tradition.
I loved this shop when I lived in NYC! Condolences to the Bergman family.
Condolences to the family. I had my daughter in 1986 and loved buying all the growing stages of toys from the store. She always had the best toys. Rest In Peace.
Thanks to Alice Bergman and everyone at West Side Kids for many happy memories. No 1990’s Manhattan weekend with my nieces and nephew was complete without a delightful browse there – and usually a purchase. May Alice’s memory be a blessing to us all.
Saddened to hear of Alice’s passing. West Side Kids has been my ‘go to’ store for nieces/nephews, great nieces/nephews and now great, greats!
So sad. She created and gave to her community. That is a unique individual.
My condolences to her family and friends.
Such a fine human being, and her qualities were evident in her wonderful store, West Side Kids.
Alice and her daughters were always so lovely and such a source of help for gifts for our children and their friends. It was, and still is, a neighborhood treasure.
I raised 4 kids on the UWS and West Side Kids was our go to store. I now shop there for my grandkids. I am so sad to hear of Alice Bergman’s passing. May her memory be a blessing to her family.
What a remarkable person and community member! I began shopping there with the birth of my first child, in 1991, and haven’t stopped since. The place Ms Bergman created offered me a new and different idea about the purpose of toys – that they were for the heart, mind and development of a person, not simply for entertainment or distraction. Also, as a new mother and newcomer to New York, her constant presence – and that of her daughters and other employees, made New York seem just a little smaller and more welcoming. With condolences and much appreciation.
Very sad to hear this news about Alice. She was a caring and loving family friend, and her legacy in toys will always keep us smiling! With love from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
My condolences to the entire family, I have had the pleasure of doing business with Alice, since the very beginning of west side kids.
She was a great asset to the toy industry as well as all of retail. The upper west side and all of us, have lost a good friend.
Rest In Peace,
So sorry to hear of your mother’s death, Jennifer. She was wonderful, and a trailblazer. So happy you’ve been carrying on her mission. Our family are longtime, now multigenerational
fans of W. Side Kids. Heartfelt condolences.
So very sorry for the loss to the family and upper west side community of Alice Bergman. I have been in love with this gem of a store for at least 40 years and so were my nieces and nephews who benefitted from all of the learning opportunities and fun the toys provided. I was just there the other day with my grandniece Ellie who left with a bag full of fun and a hula hoop 🙂 May Alice be remembered for all she contributed!!