Business Spotlight: Stanley’s Claw Machines
Clement Yu, owner of Stanley’s Claw Machines
Stanley’s Claw Machines
60 Mulberry St
We’re excited to spotlight Stanley’s Claw Machines, a new business coming to Chinatown (opening Saturday, 10/21)! Owner Clement Yu started Stanley’s Claw Machines in Chinatown after he and his family visited Asia and saw the arcade stores that delighted his wife and son. The business has a storefront at 60 Mulberry Street where you can play the arcade games to win curated prizes. Additionally, you can rent a claw machine for an event.
Blog by Courtney Adams, Photos by Donny Tsang
Clement Yu is a daydream believer –someone who will inspire you to believe that to make things happen, all you really need is love. As the owner of Stanley’s Claw Machines, Chinatown’s new and exciting claw machine arcade at 60 Mulberry Street, Clement knows the inspirational power behind such reveries. Possessing the emotional grit necessary to make one’s business dream a reality is no small feat, but Clement, and the story behind Stanley’s Claw Machines, is proof that some of the most powerful ingredients to make it happen aren’t ones you can quantify.
Ask Clement anything about Stanley’s Claw Machines, and the cadence of his voice instantly changes. The love that emanates as he tells his story is so palpable. The joy with which Stanley’s is founded is sure to compel many to visit. When asked about the inspiration behind Stanley’s, Clement responded, “I loved arcades as a kid! I’d be so excited when I asked my parents to go to an arcade and they’d say yes.”
“We’re trying to position our store within Chinatown by periodically hosting fun and engaging events. These are ways to make us more than a store--to make us a gathering place for the community for both children and adults.”
Such core memories have clearly impacted him enough to inspire his own approach with his son, Kairo. “We brought Kairo to Asia and we saw arcade stores. We noticed that there are stores like the one we’re opening with just one game, like claw machines. Each machine has different prizes, though they’re generally stuffed animals because they’re easy to claw. Some of them are a bit more over the top with actual toys you might buy. It’s so fun.” Then, with a pause and a smile, Clement shared the heart of the matter. “Then, when I saw how happy going to these stores made my wife and my son when we traveled, I realized how special it was. I thought to myself how nice it would be to bring this back home and share this experience with my community.”
When Clement and his family returned from their travels, he realized he had stumbled upon “a real business opportunity.” As they were building out their business plan, he realized that no other claw machines stores existed in Chinatown –and there was only one other store of its kind in Manhattan! Many would agree that a well-curated menu is typically indicative of a restaurant who knows where their skills lie--a spot which has really perfected what they know they can do well. And Clement is poised to do this very thing for Stanley’s Claw Machines.
“The people feel like home. The smells feel like home. The tastes feel like home. And, it sounds cliche, but the community here really does look out for each other.”
“Our product is different,” Clement shared. “We sell the overall experience.” And, when asked to expound on the type of experience he is referencing, it’s all about family. “We spend a lot of time on our product sourcing because we are really intentional about the toys we pick.” “We are picking toys we think our son would like for himself and other kids his age. And, we pick ones that we, as adults, think are appealing.” But, to classify your store as an experience is something that goes beyond the products sold--a reality Clement is well aware. “We’re trying to position our store within Chinatown by periodically hosting fun and engaging events. These are ways to make us more than a store--to make us a gathering place for the community for both children and adults.”
The end-game for Clement, though, is something that sets him apart. “We’re trying to turn a profit to survive, of course. But, we absolutely are prioritizing the experience for customers. We want them to be happy and leave having had a positive experience.” And yes, the family man in Clement is unquestionably the guiding light here – but his business savvy is also unmistakable. “This is beneficial for everyone: both the customers and the business owner. If you have a negative experience, two things will happen. First, you’ll walk away disappointed, and you’ll feel like you spent your money without winning or getting anything back, perhaps believing that the machines are rigged. I’ve seen those feelings happen with my son and even in myself. The second thing that could happen is negative word of mouth. But, we want repeat customers.”
And, he’s hoping to bring in repeat customers to a place where even the namesake is built on a foundation of love and dreams. “Stanley is just the name of my son’s favorite stuffed animal,” Clement shared. And, with a laugh immediately edited, “Favorite is an understatement. It’s his love-y. It sounds old-school and welcoming. So, naming it after his favorite stuffy, since many of our products are stuffed animals, works out.”
As a member of the community and as a parent who is ethnically Chinese, it just seems like an appropriate intersection to have a store that would cater to all of this.”
Choosing the location of Chinatown, for Clement, was an easy choice, and one that he admits worked out on both “professional and personal levels.” While he didn’t grow up in Chinatown, Clement shared that being Chinese, and speaking the language makes it all “feel very familiar.” And, with a powerful certainty, he added, “The people feel like home. The smells feel like home. The tastes feel like home. And, it sounds cliche, but the community here really does look out for each other. What’s notable about this is that it’s not a small one, either. As an area, it’s pretty spread out, but people still look out for each other in ways I’ve personally experienced.”
When asked to expound on examples, he had numerous ones, a veritable rolodex of proof nurture and love are part of the fabric of the Chinatown community. “Some of my neighbors will give me unsolicited information – information I need about things that have honestly been the last thing on my mind sometimes, like what days trash pick is. Other neighbors have looked out for me, informing me of when deliveries come in. And, my neighbor in the business next door to me would let me know when nearby cars would leave so I could hold a parking spot to assist UPS in making deliveries to my store. And, with the size of the items a claw machine arcade orders coupled with how narrow Mulberry Street is, this was a huge help.”
And, without prompting, Clement readily shared that receiving such kindness not only fills him with immense gratitude, but, “it all influences my approach to my own business, as well.” Paying this support forward, for Clement, is important for both the community and the longevity of his success as a business owner. “It’s possible, and wise, to go out of your way to make someone happy even if it doesn’t immediately benefit you or result in immediate profit to you. Developing this approach means that profit will come.” And, in bringing his reflections full-circle, Clement shared, “Our core product, as mentioned, isn’t the toys. It’s the experience. You have to make sure the experience is great, and then you can expand on making it even better or more memorable. You can’t have one without the other.”
“If you have an idea, keep daydreaming. Keep trying to develop that. If you find you’re staying up at night thinking of this idea that you have, you should go for it.”
While Stanley’s Claw Machines is quite new to the Chinatown business landscape, Clement shares that his idea of community means both Chinatown and something much closer to home, his own son. “I’m at the stage in life where I’m a parent to a young child. It’s Friday night; but, I am thinking of ideas to have in my back-pocket in case the weather doesn’t cooperate tomorrow. I want to do things with my son that are not only character building, but fun things he remembers that he can attach to memories. I don’t think the city is necessarily lacking in these spaces, but there aren’t many of them for kids. As a member of the community and as a parent who is ethnically Chinese, it just seems like an appropriate intersection to have a store that would cater to all of this.”
When asked about what resources have helped him through times of difficulty, he readily shared with a laugh, “Google!” But, over time, even the accessibility of something as prolific as Google proved frustrating. “Some of the links I’d find relating to opening a business in New York State would be broken. It’s so easy to run into all of these ambiguities and challenges over time, which causes a pretty high barrier of entry in my experience. I know that Welcome to Chinatown just opened their hub. And, I see what they’re trying to do; and, if I can give back to that, I will because it has to be easier to open a small business for everyone.”
And finally, when asked about what advice he’d give to other small business owners, he resolutely shared, “If you have an idea, keep daydreaming. Keep trying to develop that. If you find you’re staying up at night thinking of this idea that you have, you should go for it. Of course, from a practical perspective, you have to make sure your finances are in order. But for me, I was up every night daydreaming about what eventually has become Stanley’s Claw Machines. I was honest with myself.” And with a pause, Clement shared something that made me wish my laptop was a stone tablet. “I was honest with myself and I knew that the regret of not doing this would be greater than the regret of doing this and failing. Don’t let go. It can be more than a dream.”
Go visit Stanley’s Claw Machines for one of the most well-curated arcade experiences you’ll find. Not only will you be clawing at some pretty stellar parent and kid-approved toys, but with each game, you’ll be participating in Clement Yu’s daydream-come-true and having a heck of a good time in the process.
Chinatown establishments like Stanely’s Claw Machines are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support now more than ever to keep that spirit alive. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and ensure Chinatown will always be open for business. To support Chinatown organizations like Stanley’s Claw Machines, donate to the Longevity Fund here:
Photos by Donny Tsang
