I left for Alt Summit in Salt Lake City with the usual expectations: meeting bloggers, meeting sponsors, talking shop, invigorating sessions, and a few parties along the way. But there was one thing I had not counted on: finding the best toy store, like, ever. As a toy designer, believe me, I’ve seen many a toy store. Across continents and countires, small, big, cool, awful, old, new and even stinky. But JouJou takes all of those memories and pushes them off a mountain and into a sinkhole.
Dreamed into reality by the creative team at Struck, JouJou’s magic begins with the amount of amazement it packs into it’s smallish space. There are large installations everywhere: blinking lights, sculptures, a candy filled organ, a dress up room turned forest, and my favorite: the monster picture wall (It’s like Harry Potter portraits times ten!). They also include some of my favorite brands: Mudpuppy, Moulin Roty, Bla Bla, Ambi Toys, Playsam, Jess Brown, and many more. When I first turned the corner and saw JouJou, I had to tug myself away from the door, while walking backwards, so I wouldn’t miss my first Alt session. I seriously wanted to run amuck inside JouJou instead.
Watch Struck’s video below to see the backstory and a full tour of the store (including those amazing animated monster portraits!). JouJou is located in the Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City UT, and is most definitely worth a visit next time you’re in town.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, how stunning! It is such a delight to hear the creative team’s input behind such a magical, imaginative place.
I agree, it makes it even more magical to see how it began!
This was the best toy store! Glad we could experience it together! Your photos turned out gorgeous!!!!! Sky loves playing with his eeBoo farm. :)
Me too! The photos are from Struck, wish they were mine!
Wren loves her mermaid house too, I think any toy from there would be a winner.
OUAWOU……!!!!!!!
les bras m’en tombent, ce kidstore est juste visionnaire!
merci for sharing that.
Isn’t it amazing? Thanks for the comment!
Jou Jou Boutique is really a sight to see! I stopped in before my flight out to look for something special for my boys. They have really awesome toys and such that it was really hard to decide what to bring back. I brought back a couple of cubebots that were a hit!!! Thank you, Jou Jou!
The perfect place to shop for kids, right? Glad you love it too!
This store offers charming toys that captivate children’s imaginations, making playtime truly magical. Love the selection!