romp brooklyn

once in a while, a store comes along that adds that little special something that a block has been missing. romp, a newly opened children's store in park slope, has added just that to fifth avenue (in between lincoln and st johns).

created and run by jennifer labelle, a former williamsburg resident, romp is a fabulous new haven for modern children's design in brooklyn. full of colorful toys, furniture and clothing, this little nook on park slope's bustling fifth avenue is a welcome addition to the growing list of stores that cater to a design-conscious clientele (ie: matter, brooklyn industries, scaredy kat, cog and pearl...).

among clear shelves that are home to swigg's animal toys, wooden fruits and veggies and adorable eggling planters, sit wooden toy chests full of games, wooden figures and my favorite, blabla's pillow chums. not content to sell merely the greatest hits of current kids design (although the standards are there if you want them: the bilibo rocking seat, tord boontje's plastic midsummer light, flensted mobiles...), ms. labelle carries a beautiful array of products like hip children's clothes, brightly colored potholder rugs (one of my favorites) and modern cards and tags from the small object.

for the moment, romp is a brick and mortar shop only, but their website is up and will be a full e-commerce resource in the next few weeks. so those of you looking for fabulous gifts for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews can shop to your heart's content at romp online. if you're in the area, i highly suggest you stop by- ms. labelle's shop is a joy to behold and will most certainly bring a smile to your face, as only a children's store can. romp's bright colors, cheerful stuffed animal faces and fun toys are definitely worth the trip. be sure to check out www.rompbklyn.com for a full e-commerce site soon!