Buena Vista Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection
Jeffrey's Toys in San Francisco, the city's oldest toy store and the inspiration for the Toy Story franchise, has closed permanently.
Jeffrey's Toys announced Friday that it will close at the end of February. The city's crime and violence were cited as a major factor in the decision to close the 86-year-old business.
“The store has been struggling for several years due to the dangers and violence in the downtown area, inflation, the decline in consumer spending and the global decline of retail,” attorney Ken Sterling told the San Francisco Chronicle.
“The family is saddened that it has come to this and we have explored all other options to keep the business afloat,” Sterling said.
According to the shop's website, founders Morton and Birdie Luhn began selling only toys after World War II.
The store eventually passed to her grandson Mark Luhn, whose son and current co-owner Matthew Luhn had worked as a story artist and writer for Pixar in the mid-1990s.
“During 'Toy Story,' my dad came to give us ideas,” Matthew Luhn told SFGate in December 2023. “And when we were doing references for almost all the 'Toy Story' movies, we always went to Jeffrey's Toys.” My dad just closed up shop and said, 'Just play, have fun and let me know if you need anything.'”
Sterling blamed “the leadership of the City of San Francisco and the Downtown Association” for allowing crime to run rampant in the “once vibrant and entertaining downtown experience.”
San Francisco has seen a long list of retail closures in recent years.
The closures include Whole Foods, Old Navy, Saks Off 5th, Office Depot, Athleta, Abercrombie & Fitch, Disney, Marshall's, H&M and Gap.