Iconic San Francisco Toy Store Which Inspired the Legendary ‘Toy Story’ films Closing After 86 YEARS Due to ‘Perils and Violence’ of City’s Downtown – One Ex-Employee was Nearly Stabbed
The toy store responsible for inspiring the legendary “Toy Story” films is shutting down for infinity after nearly nine decades in business thanks to widespread overall crime in San Francisco’s downtown and the near stabbing of one of its ex-employees.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday that Jeffrey’s Toys will be closing its doors “in a couple of weeks” after an incredible 86 years in business. The store was founded in 1938 by the Luhn family and had seven locations at its peak but declined to one single location at 45 Kearny St. in the Financial District of San Francisco.
Attorney Ken Sterling told the San Francisco Chronicle that the ‘perils and violence’ of San Francisco combined with Bidenflation played prominent roles in the store’s demise.
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, Sterling said.
“The family is saddened it has come to this, and we’ve explored all other options to try and keep the business going,” he continued.
According to the shop’s website, the store was founded by Morton and Birdie Luhn and started as a five & dime variety store in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1938. It was initially called Birdie’s Variety Store, named after Birdie Luhn. They began selling toys exclusively after World War II and renamed the store Birdie’s Toy House in 1953.
It was rebranded as Jeffrey’s Toys in 1966 and was eventually transferred to their grandson Mark Luhn. Mark’s son and current co-owner, Matthew Luhn, had worked for Pixar as a story artist and writer in the mid-1990s.
Matthew Luhn told the San Francisco Gate last month that his father would give him and the rest of the Toy Story staff ideas throughout the writing and filming process.
“We always went to Jeffrey’s Toys,” Matthew Luhn said. “My dad just closed up the store and said, ‘Just play, have fun’, and let me know if you need anything.”
Matthew Luhn told the San Francisco Gate that shoppers and sales have declined in no small part due to crime. He revealed the situation so bad that a former employee was shoved up against the store’s wall and almost stabbed.
Sterling blamed “the leadership of the City of San Francisco and the Downtown Association” for letting crime run wild in the “once vibrant” downtown.
According to the latest crime stats, robberies across San Francisco skyrocketed 14.4 % percent in 2023 compared to 2022.
Jeffrey’s Toys is merely the latest retailer to shut down due to the crime crisis in San Francisco. Since early 2020, 40 retail stores have closed in the city’s downtown area.
No comments