One of Chicago’s most peculiar businesses, Big Monster Toys, has shut its giant yellow door to new business on the Near West Side and laid off its employees.
The toy design studio at 21 S. Racine Ave. features an unusual entryway that has inspired curiosity, selfies and spur-of-the-moment knocks from passersby. But the large yellow door wasn’t set up for people to drop in.
Inside, employees worked on toy concepts to license to manufacturers such as Mattel and Hasbro. The business blends fun and high pressure from rejection by toy companies. Designers worked among whimsical decorations such as a giant stuffed giraffe and an elevated train set that traversed the whole space.
Its workspace has been a regular on the Open House Chicago tours of the city’s beautiful and unusual spaces.
Inventor and partner Ro Annis works at his desk at Big Monster Toys’ office in 2008.
Rich Hein/Sun-Times file photo
A partner in the business, Sam Unsicker, confirmed that the staff has been let go. He said in an email, “The truth of the matter is — Big Monster Toys is not/will not fully be closed. We have royalties that will remain to come in until the products are no longer being produced - so technically, we will still be open. We did have to close future operations on November 29th and unfortunately, had to let our employees go that day.”
Unsicker said an employment attorney advised him not to answer additional questions until separation agreements with staff are final. “I don’t completely understand why, but must take this advice for now,” he wrote.
A section of the company’s website indicated it had more than 20 employees besides partners Unsicker, Brian Kujawski and Robert Annis.
The three partners are listed as managers of 21 South Racine LLC, which owns the Big Monster facility. Unsicker declined to discuss plans for the property, which is in a neighborhood developers covet.
Big Monster Toys moved to the Near West Side from River North in 2003. According to the company’s posted history, it dates from 1988 under prior ownership as Breslow, Morrison, Terzian & Associates. It used the name Big Monster Toys to keep the initials BMT.
The company has designed toys for Fisher Price and many other manufacturers. Online, its list of current “favorite toys” that it’s created include Rattlesnake Jake and Burping Bobby, manufactured by Goliath, and Xtreme Power Dump Truck, made by Jakks Pacifics.
Past hits from Big Monster Toys have included Uno Attack, Polly Pocket and Hot Wheels by Mattel.
In a 2018 interview with the Chicago Tribune, Kujawski talked about the precarious nature of toy design. “It’s an industry of rejection,” he told the Tribune.
A giraffe stands guard in the meeting area at the office of Big Monster Toys.
Rich Hein/Sun-Times file photo