This Toy Store Invites Children to Play. But Will It Sell Anything?

“Daddy,” called 4-year-old Balarama Ewing. “I have to show you something!” Balarama dashed toward a canoe filled with stuffed animals and pulled out a glittery snake, which he used to whack his dad’s torso. Balarama’s twin, Krishna, followed suit with a plush shark.

The Ewings were exploring Camp in Downtown Brooklyn, a venture-backed “family experience store” — what would have recently been called a toy store — that blends play and product in hopes of reviving a tired retail toy scene. After high rents, low margins and intense competition brought down previous iterations of Toys “R” Us and F.A.O. Schwarz, it seems like a risky time to bet on toys. But Camp is trying something different.

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