French Co. Opens Shop
By Tina Benitez -- Playthings, 1/1/2007
In 1985, French toy and novelties maker Pylones opened a retail shop in Avignon, France. Today, the manufacturer of funky playthings has self-named shops in Paris, Japan, Hong Kong and now its third location in New York with the recent opening of a store in Manhattan's West Village, with more U.S. locations possibly on the way in the coming years, the company says.
The U.S. division of Pylones is owned by the Sarut Group, based in Brooklyn, N.Y. The company's whimsical product line features a wide assortment of visually intriguing products from character-illustrated radios, pens and thermoses to spinning tops, tambourines, fashion accessories, tea cups and even dog leashes—all of which look more like toys than everyday items. Most illustrations are done by local Parisian designers and artists and look trés bien!
"Everytime I am in stores, I see lots of customers having a great time," Sharon Hitchcock, sales manager for the Sarut Group, tells Playthings. "Pylones products bring a smile to everyone's face, and all the products are all very functional, everyday items but with a wonderful design twist to them."
