Xa u-You Got Mail wayefota kwi-Upper West Side, uDoris Basner kunye nosapho lwakhe ngengozi bazula kwi-set, kwaye saphathwa njengodoti, utshilo. Ke xa kwakhutshwa umboniso bhanyabhanya, wala ukuya kuwubukela.
Kodwa ngoku uNks. Basner unesizathu esingcono sokukuphepha Unemeyile. Isakhiwo apho umthengisi weencwadi odibanisayo evula i-megastore ekuhlaleni kwaye eqhuba ivenkile kamama-kunye-pop ngaphandle kweshishini-inokubetha kufutshane kakhulu nentuthuzelo.
UNks Basner ngumphathi weNdawo endiyithandayo, ivenkile yokudlala enezinto ezinomtsalane kwi-Street 87th Street, phakathi kweBroadway kunye neWest End Avenue. Ukusukela ukuvulwa kwayo ngo-1995, iNdawo endiyithandayo iye yaxinaniswa ngoomama kunye nabazali abavavanya iiBoos zabo kunye neTooshie-Wooshies kwizitulo ezihamba phezu kweMacLaren. Kodwa kule ye-6 kaJuni idlulileyo, ikhonkco lokudlala laseLong Island uNoodle Kidoodle lavula indawo yokubeka engaginyisi mathe engama-5 500 kwivenkile eyayisakuba yiSloan kwiibhloko nje ezimbini emantla, ekubonakaleni kwivenkile nguPeter Pan 'uCathy Rigby.
Kwaye ngequbuliso iNdawo endiyithandayo-enje ngabazalwana bayo abaninzi-ababilayo.
INoodle Kidoodle izama ukuba yindawo yokugcina izinto zokudlala elingana neBarnes neNoble, ukubonelela ngevolumu kunye nee hangout ezingenakuconjululwa kukhuphiswano lwasekhaya nabakhuphisana nabo basekuhlaleni abanako ukudibana. Ngelixa indawo yam endiyithandayo ithengisa kumgangatho ongekhoyo kwitafile yomdlalo kaloliwe, uNoodle Kidoodle unezimbini zazo, ndingasathethi ke ngeekhompyuter ezintathu ezilayishwe imidlalo yevidiyo, iibhentshi ezininzi phambi kwezikrini ezisithoba zikamabonwakude zidlala imiboniso bhanyabhanya yabantwana, itafile yokufunda , itraki yombane yeRokenbok ibonisa itafile kunye neendonga kunye neendonga ezigcwele iimpahla zabantwana, ukusuka kwizincamathelisi ukuya kumathoyizi ukuya ezincwadini ukunxiba-kubandakanya, kufanele kuqatshelwe, ividiyo yeWe Got Mail.
Ngokuqinisekileyo banqumle ishishini lethu, utshilo uNkskz Basner ngokulusizi. Nabantwana bam baxhonyiwe phaya, kodwa bayayazi imigaqo: Abanakuthenga kwanto.
Ukusukela oko kwavulwa uNoodle Kidoodle, ingeniso yeNdawo endiyithandayo kunye neivenkile zokudlala ezifanayo. UJennifer Bergman, umnini weWest Side Kids kwiAmsterdam Avenue kunye naseWest 84th Street, uxela ukuba ukuthengisa kwakhe ngoJuni kwehle ngeepesenti ezingama-23 kunyaka ophelileyo. U-Laura Pintchik, ongumnini weVenkile yaBantwana e-West 92nd nase-Broadway, umbeka phakathi kwe-10 ne-12 leepesenti-kwaye wongeza ukuba uNoodle Kidoodle uqeshe abasebenzi bakhe abathathu. Kuphela nguPenny Whistle, ukunyuka okukhuselekileyo ukuya eWest 82nd naseColumbus Avenue, obone ukuphakama xa kuthelekiswa nehlobo elidlulileyo.
UNkosazana Bergman wase West Side Kids ukhumbula xa uNoodle Kidoodle evula okokuqala: Umphathi weza kwakanye wazazisa, esithi, 'Singummelwane wakho omtsha, sinethemba lokuba nithumele abantu kuthi kwaye nathi siza kuthumela abantu kuni.' Ndandifana, 'Ewe, ngokuqinisekileyo!'
Indawo endiyithandayo endiyithandayo uGodwyn Morris uthe: Kunzima kancinci ukuba nobuhlobo nendlovu ezama ukukunyathela.
Umphathi kaNoodle Kidoodle, uMargaret Murphy, wayalela yonke imibuzo kwiofisi yekhaya, engakhange ibuyise fowuni. Xa ebuzwa malunga nokutyelela kwakhe kwezinye iivenkile, wahlekisa ngokuhlekisayo, Sasigaya abantu!
Kumashumi ambalwa eminyaka adlulileyo, ubumelwane busabonakaliswa kwiindawo ezithile njengendawo yokugcina ezopolitiko yenkululeko iye yaguqula umhlaba waba ngumhlaba obonakalayo wokukhulisa abantwana. Phakathi kwe-West Side demographic, ibinzana leqela elingadibanisiyo umbuzo weDemokhrasi okanye iRiphabhlikhi, kodwa yeyiphi indawo oza kuyirenta ngomhla wokuzalwa komntwana wakho (kwi- $ 300 ukuya kwi- $ 750 pop). Intetho kwi-Starbucks yendawo ayisiyonyeliso yakutshanje kaTrump, kodwa izicwangciso zemfazwe zokwamkelwa kwizikolo zabucala ezizimeleyo kunye neenkulisa ezibiza ngaphezulu kwe- $ 15,000 ngonyaka. Kuba iimoto zifihlwe kude kakhulu kwiigaraji, inqanaba lilinganiswa ngophawu lomhambi. Isizathu se-célèbre ibe kukuphuculwa kweendawo zokudlala zeRiverside Park ukubandakanya ukugcoba amagwebu, imithombo yokudlala kunye nezixhobo ezikhuselekileyo. Kwaye ukuba umntu ukhankanya ukuya kumboniso omtsha kumyuziyam, ayikuko malunga nodumo emva kokufota kwi-MoMA, kodwa kwiBody Odyssey kwiZiko loLondolozo lweMbali labantwana eManhattan, apho uZoe omncinci noHenry banokutyibilika khona umfanekiso wolwimi lomntu.
Kulaa manani afanayo, iivenkile ezikhethekileyo zokudlala ziye zaba ngumfuziselo wobumelwane njengendawo yokutya ekhethekileyo yaseZabar, eFairway naseCitarella. Ngamatheko amaninzi okuzalwa ukuzimasa, bekukho igumbi elininzi lezinto ezinokuthenjwa zezipho ezisemgangathweni ezixabisa i-15 yeedola ukuya-kakuhle, kwindawo endiyithandayo ngenye imini yamva nje, ndabona umfazi ejonge ukuchitha i-150 yeedola kumntu oneminyaka emibini ubudala sele enayo yonke into.
Kwiminyaka emihlanu edlulileyo, iivenkile zokudlala kuphela kwi-Upper West Side yayizi-West Side Kids, emva koko i-900 yeenyawo zenyawo, zavulwa ngo-1981 ngumama kaNks. Bergman njengomthwalo wempahla yabantwana kunye nevenkile yokudlala eyenziwe ngezandla; kunye nePenny Whistle emakhulu kancinci, nayo yavulwa ngo-1981 ngumfazi kaTom Brokaw uMeredith njengevenkile kadade kwivenkile yakhe yaseMadison Avenue.
Ngoku, ukongeza kula mabini, ubumelwane buneeVenkile zaBantwana zaNdawo kunye neNdawo endiyithandayo. Iitoys ziyathengiswa kwamanye amaziko amaninzi kubumelwane, kubandakanya neCozy's Cuts for Kids yokucheba iinwele, ivenkile yabantwana iMagic, iimpahla zaBantwana Imyuziyam yaseManhattan, i-alphabets boutique kunye nalo naliphi na inani lamakhadi kunye nezipho kunye neevenkile zeziyobisi. Kwakhona kumxube, ukuqala ngasekupheleni kuka-1998, yixokelelwano iKay Bee, eyajika indawo yokutyela engaphandle kweshishini levenkile yaseBoston yaba yivenkile yexeshana yeKrisimesi; yenze kakuhle kakhulu yahlala ivuliwe.
Kodwa iingcali zeendawo zokudlala zizinto ezahlukileyo, enye yezinto ezintle zokukhulisa abantwana eNew York: Banikezela ngokuthengisa okuhlelwe ngononophelo okuthengiswe ngabasebenzi abanamava ngolwazi oluninzi (kunye nomonde), esongelwe kakhulu.
Ndisandul 'ukufudukela apha ndisuka eMinneapolis, watsho omnye umfazi ethatha ibhegi yam endiyithandayo xa wayethengela uPenny Whistle kunye nomntwana wakhe oneminyaka eli-1, kwaye iivenkile zokudlala apho azifani okanye zingezizo. Apha nganye inencasa yayo.
Abanini, abahlali besixeko ngokwabo, bayabazi abathengi babo: oxakeke kakhulu, othanda amaxabiso, otyholayo kwezemfundo, kodwa abe efuna umzali. Isazisi ngasinye se-boutique simile ngendlela abangazukuyiphatha (umzekelo, iimveliso zePokémon, imipu, abalinganiswa beTV) njengoko besenza.
Ifilosofi yaBantwana baseNtshona, utshilo uNkskz. Bergman, yile: Ukudlala luhlobo lomsebenzi womntwana, kwaye iithoyi zizixhobo esizisebenzisayo. Kuya kufuneka bakhuthaze intelekelelo, ubuchule bokudlala, umdlalo ophelileyo. Ke asiziphathi iidoli ezithethayo, okanye iiBarbies, ezingalunganga kwimifanekiso yomzimba wamantombazana amancinci.
Andikusekeli ukukhetha kwam kwinto endicinga ukuba iza kuthengisa, utshilo uNkosikazi Pintchik waBantwana, kodwa indlela endiziphendula ngayo kwaye ndicinga ukuba umntwana uya kufumana kuyo.
Abasebenzi kwiVenkile yaBantwana ngokubanzi bayazingca ngokungaphathi nantoni na evela kuloo ndawo-bhanyabhanya-inene, bengazi negama layo. Abathengisi bayo ababalaseleyo baquka i-upscale Muffy Vander Bears kunye nezinto zesayensi ezifana negadi yebhabhathane; UPenny Whistle’s yipleyiti yesikuta ebhalwe ngemibala yeetaxi zedolophu; I-West Side Kids ithengisa imidlalo emininzi, ubugcisa kunye nezinto zokudlala zabantwana; Indawo endiyithandayo, encinci, ithengisa imidlalo, i-Playmobil kunye nezinto zeBrio kunye nezinto ezithandwayo zepati. (Ukubiyela ukubheja kwakhe, UNks. Morris usete indawo yepati kunye negumbi lokufundela, ke iithoyi ziipesenti ezingama-60 zeshishini lakhe.)
Kude kufike ukufika kukaNoodle Kidoodle, zonke iivenkile bezisebenza kakuhle. Ukufika kukaKay Bee okokugqibela akuzange kubachaphazele, kuba kukuchasana kwabo, ukuthengisa ii-movie tie-ins, imidlalo yevidiyo kunye nemipu yeplastiki, kunye nokuba nabasebenzi abanomdla ongabonakaliyo kwimisebenzi yabo.
UKay Bee angaphithizela, utshilo uNks. Basner, kodwa ngabantu esingabaqapheliyo.
I-Noodle Kidoodle, nangona kunjalo, ibeka isoyikiso sokwenyani. Umthunzi wayo omthubi oqaqambileyo ubhengeza ukuba aBantwana baFunda ngokuBalaseleyo xa bonwaba. Kwaye ibanga ukuba inombono ofanayo malunga nento eza kuyiphatha-ekucingelwa ukuba akukho luhlobo okanye mlinganiso wesenzo, akukho mipu yamanzi okanye iithoyi ezinobundlobongela-nangona uninzi lweentengiso ze-Star Wars lubonakala ngathi ludlulile kubagcini-masango. (Akukho Darth Maul, umntu ombi, wakhankanya umphathi oncedisayo.)
Ngokukhawuleza xa ivulwa, iivenkile zobumelwane zaqala ukubona abathengi bexesha elide bengena neebhegi zeNoodle Kidoodle eziqaqambileyo. UNkosazana Bergman wase West Side uthe, Abantu bandixelela, 'Siza kuthenga ukutya kwethu apha e-Noodle Kidoodle kwaye sifumane izinto ezikhethekileyo apha.' Kwaye ndiyabaxelela, 'Ukuba niyayenza loo nto, asizukushishina.'
U-Pintchik weVenkile Jikelele uthe, Ukuba abantu abalumkanga, yinto nje yexesha ngaphambi kokuba iSixeko saseNew York sibe yiNdlela 35 eNew Jersey.
Iivenkile sele zibuyisele isitokhwe kunye neendlela zazo. Indawo endiyithandayo iye yaliphinda kabini iphepha kunye nezinto zepati, yongeza iilekese kwaye yaqala ukubeka iimpapasho kwezinye iivenkile zobumelwane. I-West Side Kids yaqala inkqubo yomthengi rhoqo, apho abathengi abachitha ngaphezulu kwe- $ 750 bafumana isaphulelo seepesenti ezili-10, ukuhanjiswa simahla kunye nendibano.
Banethemba lokuba ukwazi kwabo kunye nokuziphatha kwabo kuya kuphumelela kwiinqwelo zokuthenga zikaNoodle, abasebenzi abanxibe iifowuni, abathengi abasekwe eLong Island, kunye nokuziphatha. Ngexesha lotyelelo lwakutshanje oluya eNoodle Kidoodle, ndibone abantu bejinga ngaphandle kokuthenga izinto: Umama ebencancisa usana ebhentshini phambi kwezikrini zeTV, omnye ebetshintsha ilweyile kwitoyi yamathoyizi esayensi kunye nosana- wayehleli ekhompyutheni edlala umdlalo wevidiyo, umntwana wakhe omncinci ebotshelelwe kwisitulo esijongileyo.
I-Noodle Kidoodle ifana nokuzonwabisa, ivenkile yeevenkile, utshilo oyingcali kwezentengiso yezindlu u-Faith Hope Consolo we-Garrick-Aug Associates Store Leasing Inc. Abantu baya kudlala bayazulazula. Kuba ihlobo lihlala lixesha elicothayo, kunjalo, ukuwa kunye namaxesha eKrisimesi aya kumisela ukuba iivenkile ezincinci ziya kuhamba njani.
Baninzi kakhulu abantwana kule ndawo, utshilo uNkosk. Bergman, osandula ukuvula isipho kunye nevenkile yefenitshala ekufutshane ebizwa ngokuba yi-Kids Down the Block. Namhlanje, ndandinabafazi abane abakhulelweyo evenkileni ngaxeshanye.
Ekugqibeleni, olona mceli mngeni wabo mkhulu isenokungabi yiNoodle Kidoodle kakhulu njengabantwana abadala. Ngenye imva kwemini, uBetty Saltzman, oneminyaka eli-13 ongumhlali wase-Upper West Side, wayethengela kwindawo endiyithandayo, ephethe iibhegi ezivela eNoodle Kidoodle naseKaybee. Ndithenga ezivenkileni ezininzi, utshilo uNks. Saltzman, Kodwa ndizifumana zifundisa. Ufuna izinto abanokudlala ngazo. Uthathe into ekuthiwa yiDisc Shooter. Njengolu hlobo lwe-junk. Abantwana bafuna nje i-junk. Ufumana okwaneleyo kwezinye izinto esikolweni.
