An Astoria husband and wife team has brought something cuddly to the borough.
Morris Davis and Karen Bennett-Davis opened the doors of Teddy Mountain of Astoria, located at 29-21 21st Ave., on Saturday, welcoming the community to what they called a “wonderland” for all ages.
Only the second of its kind in New York City, Teddy Mountain offers customers the ability to stuff, dress and accessorize their choice of animals, which range from teddy bears to penguins, dogs, elephants and much more. Stuffed animals are available in 16-inch and 8-inch options.
“We love the area. That’s why we decided to put [the store] in Astoria,” said Davis, who has lived in Astoria with his family for three years. “Since we’ve been here all we’ve seen are restaurants and bars and really nothing for kids. So we said, let’s do it. We’re about supporting the community.”
Davis also said the store is not only for girls; there are options for boys as well, and customers can take home their toys in a Teddy Mountain box or backpack.
The shop also has “Dolly World” section, a name chosen by Bennett-Davis, which offers girls the chance to pick one of three dolls to take home. There are also matching outfits for both the girls and dolls. The doll line is expected to expand, Davis said.
Along with the dolls and stuffed toys, Teddy Mountain of Astoria will also begin offering programs, events and birthday parties starting in two weeks in their event space.
“Different from our competitors, the parents get to relax,” Davis said. “Once they walk in our doors we take over. The parents can sit on our rocking chairs and let us handle it and we take care of the kids until they finish building the bears.”
The shop will host puppet shows and “Mommy and me” classes on the weekdays, and birthday party packages are available for the weekends.
One big event, created after the couple found it difficult to find a babysitter for their 6-year-old and 2-year-old sons, is Friday night Date Night. From 6 to 8 p.m. parents will be able to drop off their children at the shop, where children enjoy Disney movies, food and interactive games safely while their parents go out.
The Astoria couple also hopes that children can take home the experience of interacting with other children as they build the toys or attend events at the shop.
“We feel as though the kids in Manhattan have everything at their doorsteps, [while] the kids in Queens don’t,” Davis said. “This is something we thought we could bring to the kids here in Queens.”
The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/teddymountainofastoria.
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