Designer toy story

Kristoffer Knutson couldn't wipe the smile from his face. Ever since he moved his ROBOTlove shop to northeast Minneapolis on June 2, he's been reenergized. This economy had not been kind to his toy story.

For six years, Knutson has been the Twin Cities' version of a demure Willy Wonka, introducing the area's geeks, hipsters and art lovers to the latest in designer toys and plush (which is a snooty way of saying "stuffed animals").

ROBOTlove's original location, one of only a few designer toy boutiques in the country, had been going strong on Lyndale Avenue S. But even the shop's quirkiness couldn't save it from a rough 2009. These hurdles found Knutson searching for a boost of energy -- both creatively and economically.

Enter his buddies at PUNY, an interactive/entertainment/design firm headquartered at E. Hennepin and Central avenues in northeast Minneapolis. The studio had been riding a wave of success with clients such as the popular kids TV show "Yo Gabba Gabba!" But its principals, Shad Petosky and Vincent Stall, were still on the hunt for something to complement their studio's storefront art gallery, Pink Hobo.

Thus, a partnership was born. Knutson, who had worked in commercial film prior to ROBOTlove, would come on as PUNY's new managing director, and his entire shop would move in next to the art gallery.

"Lyndale was our scrappy teen years," Knutson said. "Now we're more established."

The new ROBOTlove is smaller, but its design (by Gomez Whitney) has been taken up a notch with "floating" shelf units and a pink-and-white color scheme.

Knutson describes his specialized inventory as "urban vinyl" (the material used to sculpt the toys) or simply "artists' collectibles." Most of the figurines take the shape of wildly imaginative animals and monsters. Almost all are cute.

ROBOTlove's biggest seller is a line of dolls called Dunnys (and its sister series, Munnys). The small rabbitlike figures are sought after for their artist-driven, customizable designs. With each new Dunny series, ROBOTlove hosts a packed release party. The next one is July 15.

Every patron -- primarily adults -- treats these mini works of art differently. Some use them as dashboard ornaments, some serious collectors have display cases in their homes.

Smaller figures start at about $4. The store's most expensive toy is $440. That piece is actually a pair of 13-inch vinyl figures -- one a sneering young man in a furry rabbit costume, the other a beastly creature on steroids. Only 200 were made.

Knutson ordered four. He has sold three.

There are no robots

With a store as different as ROBOTlove, Knutson knows he'll have some explaining to do in its new neighborhood.

"I think the most common question we get is, 'Where are the robots?' " he said. There aren't any, really.

As if on cue, a man -- obviously a Northeast local -- walked into the shop last week with a baffled look on his face. He asked Knutson if this was a children's store.

"It's a little more grown-up than that," Knutson politely told him.

As he walked around, the man's perplexed look gave way to fascination. He asked Knutson about the boxed figures, the pricing and the toys behind the glass. Knutson answered all of these questions with ease, as if he'd been asked them a hundred times before.

In the end, the man left with a $5 poster -- and a grin. It was a good start.

Said Knutson: "The things we sell make people smile."

Tom Horgen • 612-673-7909