I got a tip that Playing Mantis, the natural/handmade toy store at 32 N. Moore, is packing up and moving to 1316 Madison (at 93rd). Sure enough, there was a very discreet sign by the front door. When I asked, the clerk said it was because there wasn’t enough traffic in the current location, and they’ll be gone by the end of the month. The shop also sells online, so you don’t really have to go all the way to the Upper East Side…. (There also used to be a Playing Mantis store in Nyack, but I don’t see it mentioned on the site anymore.)

UPDATE: They changed their minds about closing.

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