Stationery & Toy World, on 72nd Street just west of Columbus, is one of the great little shops on the Upper West Side. If you have a child, you know how helpful they are there, how they love to joke around, and how hard it is to get your kids to actually leave the store.
But here’s some bad news: owners Donna and Larry, who live on Staten Island, got nailed by Hurricane Sandy. Their home, on Midland Beach, was flooded and they’re still staying with friends. (see photos of Midland Beach destruction here.)
That’s not all. They “not only lost many personal items as a result of the storm, but also lost an enormous amount of inventory from their two warehouses, one of which was completely unsalvageable,” Mel Wymore told us.
“Thankfully, many donations have already come in, and they are beyond grateful: indeed, Donna was in tears when describing the amazing way that UWS neighbors have been helping them. However, they still have serious problems, including lost revenue, lost inventory, and a need for personal items.
The best way you can help right now is to patronize the store! The holidays are upon us, and S&TW carries an enormous line of products that are useful and fun. Note that buying on-site will help more than using the Internet or other methods.”
If you want to help them out, give gift cards instead of items. They have nowhere to store stuff now. Call Donna at the store at 212.580.3922 to learn more. They’re enormously grateful for all the help they’ve already received.
This is a wonderful store. I always find what I need (and a few things that I want for fun). I hope you’ll decide to support Donna and Larry; they were just devastated by the storm. I always buy gift cards from them for Christmas and birthdays. They’re great people with a great independent store. Thanks, WSR, for posting this appeal.
They want people to buy items at the store? Or gift cards to the store? Or giftcards for them instead of clothing and food donations?
They want people to buy items at the store. If people also want to help them get back on their feet by buying stuff for their house, they would prefer gift cards for the moment. That’s my understanding. Avi
We love the store and the staff. There are not many “Mom & Pop shops” around the neighborhood anymore, so we shall do our part by buying our little Shea Olivia some educational items!
Hope all the best for you and the Family.
The UWS Stone’s
Before I moved to NY full time, I used to beg my dad to let me stop in on this store. Now 25 yrs old, I always have a feeling of nostalgia when I walk by. I will definitely stop in for some holiday shopping.
Best Wishes
my kids have lived at stationery & toy world for the past 13 years!! We’ve become friends with Donna, Larry and the guys who work there who are amazing. Let’s do everything we can to help them get back on their feet…patronizing the store and donating gift cards for Donna and her family. Thank you!! Jen
this is such a giving family. please support them by shopping in their store or offering gift cards to the family as their rebuild is enormous. They had 17 feet of water in their home and saved numerous people on their block, all strangers. The sad part is that they just put the finishing touches on their home in Midland Beach. a lot of sweat and tears…all to be washed away. They say good comes back tenfold, i want to see this be their story. xox