Meet Lewis Warren | Owner/CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lewis Warren and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lewis, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
As a store that sells toys from both the past and the present, we spread happiness and memories. A lot of people with common interests can gather here and form connections which further brings our community together in a positive way. I want to have a place where people respect those from all walks of life. I want to be a positive example for the disabled community and those who face adversity.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
What sets me and my business apart from others is that I was able to open shop with a disability. We also like to keep things fun to keep people wanting to visit us: We run a weekly raffle for Free Figure Fridays, and we have four hidden Care Bears which, if found, grant whoever finds them a discount. We filmed for a show on Amazon Prime called “A Toy Store Near You,” which comes out in June of this year, and we hope to continue to show the world who we are and what toys mean to people.

I became a business owner because of a deal gone bad. I had a large collection that I wanted to sell, and I was given a very insulting offer on my collection, so I decided to open my own shop. I wanted to have a place which treated all people better than the business with which I had just interacted. Simply put, it wasn’t easy to get opened up. Not only having a disability, but being a first-time business owner, having to set up all the logistics such as finding a space, getting licensing, and staffing the store was a challenge for me. I mostly overcame these challenges by sacrificing my personal life for my dream and never giving up.

I’ve learned along the way how to treat customers and employees to make all feel welcome and safe within my store. I’ve also learned that sometimes, the store has to come first.

I want people to know that even though you may have obstacles, or in my case, a disability, that doesn’t need to hold you back. If you set your mind and goals to something, you can always achieve it with persistence and hard work. I love what I do, and I like to keep a smile on everyone’s face. I do stand-up comedy on the side, and this is just another example of how I never thought I could do something, and I pushed myself to get on a stage in front of a few hundred people. If I can do that, I know there’s no limit to what I can achieve.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Aurora has a lot of nice parks to visit. Being outdoors here is always something worth doing. We would visit a lot of Colorado staples like Casa Bonita, The 16th Street Mall, or Elitch’s. Mountains are great with trails to follow and lakes to see.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people that have made Monkey Paw Toys possible and have come to be what it is today. There are so many people that have helped and pushed me along the way. I couldn’t have done it without these people. From J.T, to my twin brother, Teresa, Robert and so many others. But I would be lying if I didn’t include my ex-girlfriend. She was the main driving force behind the store. She pushed me and helped me; put the very first shop together and set it up when I was alone from my business partner bailing on me while I was stuck trying to hang product, price it, get it organized and get the shop ready. She spent so many nights helping me get it ready for a grand opening. So, to me, she will always be the one person that I would love to give a shoutout to.

Website: https://monkeypawtoys.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monkey_paw_toys/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonkeyPawToys

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@monkey_paw_toys7927

Other: Monkey Paw Toys 1555 S Havana St Unit G Aurora CO 80012 (720) 708-5228

Image Credits
Photo Credits: Lewis Warren