LIFT

This toy shop/​gallery was AMAZING! I love the mystery box stuff and this place has tons of it! Got two toys and two ‘Detroit Hustles Harder’ t-​shirts for my husband and myself. They were a little pricey for a one screener, but the toys were right in my wheelhouse, so i cant complain. We were only in Royal Oak for two days… and i went BOTH DAYS! It was a plus that the guy working the first night is from my home town and went to the same art college i did! Such a small mitten! PS. there is a store right next door that is similar but more girly. Both cool, but be warned :)

Awesome little store that has all kinds of cool toys and kid robot products! They have these drinks called Ramunes (Japanese carbonated soft drink), the strawberry ones are so good!!!

I love this place. The guy working, I think his name was Ben, was very awesome. I know my toy/​novelty/​rarities shops because I am still a kid and live for places like this, and LIFT is good. They have a lot of stuff you can’t find anywhere else. It’s funny someone else commented that they are used to Rotofugi in Chicago, as am I… but when in Detroit metro… go to LIFT. Dunny, KidRobot, Munny, other amazing stuff, etc. The place had a great vibe as well.

As said in previous reviews, this is a great shop. Really feels like some stores in San Francisco; lots of cool artsy young-​adult hip things.
Stuff is not cheap by college kid standards, but most nice things are not. They’ve got awesome hoodies and shirts and clothings, mystery box toys from Tokidoki, Kid Robot and the like (along with some very well-​done models of KidRobot stuff painted by artists), various merchandise from the happening TV shows and video games, and little sculptures and art for sale. Also, WOOHOO CHECK-​IN OFFERS! This place gets the 5^th star from me because there aren’t many places like it in Southeast Michigan and they’ve executed their idea quite well. I hope they go far.
Cool place. Stop in, eat Yan-​Yan, and browse.

Such a cool place to visit! It isn’t a very large shop but they have the best selection of designer & vinyl toys I have seen in the area. Every time I have gone here the staff has been very welcoming and are super knowledgeable about the products and brands they carry. Considering they have so many toys all over the store I’m impressed that it is always so spotless. I have never seen a dusty box or figure yet and each time I come in I find something that catches my eye. Every time I take a visit to Royal Oak I make sure to pop in and see what’s new.

This place is amazing! The selection is great from random kaiju toys, rare collaborations, local artists and they get just about every Kidrobot release if not all of them. Doktor A even had an exhibit here!
I just go there for art but they also have a lot of cool clothes and other stuff too and above all else the staff is cool and very friendly and informative. I hope this place is around for a long time.

This place is just the coolest gift shop ever… I can’t say I’ve ever been in a place quite like it before. They have a very specific style of stuff and it’s very consistent. It’s almost like an toy shop for people 12+…
It’s a great goto for $ 20 birthday gifts.
I can’t speak for the art. I doubt the sell much of that. My favorite thing in the store is their small mystery gift boxes that have a toy inside but you don’t know what you get until you buy it. I purchase these for people I work with when they do something above and beyond and it brings a moment of excitement to someone’s day. I know it works because the toys stay on peoples desks!
I’m pretty strict on the ⁵⁄₅ and but considering this local store that’s keeping it 100% real… it’s ⁵⁄₅ for me.

My first visit to LIFT for my wife’s birthday and I discovered that they have a nice selection of cute toys, especially our personal favorite Kid Robot.
They also have a small selection of local artist’s work — you can find Kill Taupe and Hansma Illustration works here, and many others.
In addition, check out their tiny cooler for a few delicious sodas.

Royal Oak has plenty of little gift shops to snatch up your money unexpectedly. LIFT offers a haven for teens and adults fond of certain Japanese and Korean animé trends. Figurines, keychains, and little desktop objects produced by the likes of Simone Legna used to be hard to find, and specialty stores like this might be the only shop in town that carries them. I was pretty surprised to see Barnes and Noble has the Unicorno line by Tokidoki, signalling they hit the mainstream. It’s definitely one of the few places locally you can find Kid Robot products, Dunny Bunnies, Munnies, Gloomy Bear, and the whole associated lines that are usually found in hip shops in New York and California.
Nonetheless, LIFT carries the full line of different vinyl figures and plastic gewgaws that make teen girls go gaga. It definitely caters to that market, lots of pink and punk mingled together. Want a giant stuffed rabbit smoking a cigarette? Here you come. Lost in Internet and Facebook memes about seven deadly sin rabbits? Examples A through G are on the shelf yonder. They also carry a variety of Japanese snacks like Pocky, clothing with a punk edge, and possibly a few manga. I really don’t remember, I wasn’t browsing specifically for them. You probably would’ve found me in here when I was fifteen, lamenting how little money I had to spend on the stuff. It’s sort of a blast from the not-​so-​very-​past.
Tokidoki products are hard to come by and I really wish they carried the purses, t-​shirts, and wearable pieces instead of toy collectibles. I adore my Tokidoki purse which I found at Macy’s, of all places, in downtown Chicago. These are pretty big ticket items, I understand, but the number of counterfeits means I prefer to buy from a reliable vendor. I get all sorts of compliments on the purse and the girl at the till certainly knew who all those manic figures at a crazy carnival were! Enthusiastic shop for the collector that definitely knows its market: well-​to-​do 15 – 30 year olds with cash to burn, but that’s most of RO, isn’t it?
The collectibles are neat, and some of the unique Detroit stuff is worth considering for good present. Unfortunately they are not the cheapest place in existence; LIFT charges a lot for their threads, so keep an eye out.

Great Prices, Great selection! Supports local artists! You can tell the owner loves his shop, he’s always there, a point perks club that offers free stuff for loyalty, great events. I LOVE this place, it’s ten fold better then the actual kid robot in San Francisco, and cheaper too! If you love cute things, local art, and high end toys check this place out!

long time toy collector and big fan. the people that work there almost always know everything about the merchandise and are very well updated about the newest vinyls. they also almost always know what they will be ordering next. i will come and ask them what’s coming next month and they always tell me specifics.
not only that but if i actually want something i will tell them and they’ll actually consider it.
best place to buy unique gifts, hands down. it’s a bit pricey but that is the nature of these kinds of collectibles. try urban outfitter– same price or more and the variety cannot be compared.

I could drop a lot of cash in this store. It’s the only store of it’s kind for miles and is a Mecca for designer toy enthusiasts, art snobs and fun counter culture folks.
They have a cool loyalty program. I can’t wait to spend my reward on a blind box vinyl toy, just a couple more points needed.

I was in town for business and had to get a Christmas gift to Germany. Not having the gift and only a small idea of what I might make a decent present I hit help and Lift appeared in the search for toys.
After arriving the staff helped me pick a gift, then helpfully wrapped it and shipped it to Germany for me! It was a fantastic experience and I’d recommend this place to anyone. Thanks again super friendly and helpful people at Lift!

the best selection of vinyl collectibles in the detroit metro area. ive been to the kidrobot store in london and LA & both do not compare to lift. lift has a larger area & broader range of selection then both LA & london. in addition they also support many local detroit brands and artists.

I stumbled upon this little store during this past weekend’s Arts, Beats, and Eats. What I loved about the (poorly laid out) festival is the chance to step into each store and check it out.
What I like about this store are the Detroit pride tshirts that you can buy. The downside — they’re expensive. Then I noticed it was a trend in this store. Everything is expensive and over priced.
This place is also a toy store. I will be honest, I would not buy anything else in this place because I’m not into the types of things they sell. My boyfriend tried explaining that the unusual adult toys (NOT of a sexual nature) that are sold here are actually pretty popular and have a cult following to them. I totally respect that and think that’s neat even though I’m not into it.
The place is A-​OK in my book because I love that the store was clean, organized, and rockin’ the Detroit pride. The lady that worked there was supremely helpful and just all around very friendly. I’m knocking it because the store seemed sparse with a lot of empty space, not to mention, the crazy high prices for the clothes. Especially when stores just down the street sell similar Detroit-​esque clothes for a lower price.
Not a bad store and fun to check out. :-)

Ever since discovering the wonder that is Dunny Bunnies, I have had an obsession with vinyl & plush toys. I was really excited when Lift changed location and focus from primarily shoes to toys. They’ve got a great selection of Kid Robot, Tokidoki, Gloomy Bear, lots of Custom Dunny’s, Munny’s, Frank Kozik… just generally a great selection of work.
Lift has custom shows pretty often, so if collecting is your thing… be sure to check out the events. The owner is really down to earth and knows his stuff. The show openings usually involve food and drink and a raffle giveaway of toys from the store. I went to the recent reveal of the custom Doktor A toy that was made for Lift, it was phenomenal. What a talent! He’s out of the U.K., I believe so they even had him on a webcam in the corner so you could ask the artist about his work.
Other goods they have at the store: Skateboard decks, Hoodies, Tshirts and shoes.

If you want designer/​urban toys in the Detroit area than this is the place to go. They do also have original artwork and custom munny/​dunny shows from time to time. Besides toys they have some books and shirts too. The owner is a super nice guy, even more reason to support this place!

Just like my beloved Rotofugi here in Chicago I’ve found a place that carries a good selction of fun collectibles!
Everything from Ugly Dolls to original art like the MADL showpieces. I love the mystery box toys and Moofia collection.
I wish I hadn’t spent all my vacation money and only learned of Lift towards the end of my trip.
The store looked cool but could use «more», felt like they could add more stuff or something… the guy at the counter was really nice though. I wish I had his job.

Located on 4^th Street in downtown Royal Oak Lift has been, in its simplest terms, been describe as a mere shoe store. Lift does indeed carry such footwear brands as Royal Elastics, Rocket Dogs, and Lacoste, but Lift is much more than that, and in my opinion, more of a toy store/​art gallery in essence. In addition to selling shoes, Lift offers customers a great selection of Japanese toys, Ugly Dolls, locally designed clothing, and gallery openings. With so much going on in Lift you would think the independent boutique would be lacking in some areas. Yet Lift manages to successfully offer all these fabulous items in one moderate sized store.
The brightly colored items lining the walls and shelves of Lift bring vibrancy and life to the shop. The environment is welcoming, fun, and very, very modern. The staff is always friendly and very knowledgeable about their products. Lift definitely has one of the best selections of designer toys by such artist as Kid Robot. If you’re looking for a unique gift or a little treat for yourself, check out Royal Oak’s Lift.

Note: As of 5−3−08, Lift has not yet finished moving into their new gallery space. This is the correct address for it!
Lift sells designer shoes and designer toys. Stuff put out by Kid Robot, Blackspot Shoes, Strange Co. and the like…
They’re going to carry toys by Doktor A, former member of the synth-​pop group Goteki! They carry Munnys (Munnies?) and the other «surprise» collectibles, etc.
I’ve been to a lot of places around Detroit and even in Ann Arbor, and nowhere can match the selection of designer toys that Lift has. If you’re really into them, you absolutely must come here!