March 26, 2014
Imelda McCain had a mission to introduce children to natural wooden crafts before they pick up the electronics and plastic toys so in 2006 she opened Playing Mantis, at 32 North Moore St. The store carries handcrafted toys and collectibles made from wood and recycled materials. Read more
Playing Mantis has “an incredible selection of handmade toys and games from around the world“
Edward Burns says. Read more
New Places, New Programs for Kids in Manhattan – February 2010
by Kaitlin Ahern
Playing Mantis, an eco-friendly store offering handmade toys and crafts from around the world, recently opened a new location in Tribeca. The store’s flagship location is in Nyack, NY. Read more
“Imelda McCain can’t help but restore your faith in humanity. Her worldview is local in nature and global by design… her simple, unwavering desire to make it all work to everyone’s benefit is as egalitarian and humble as it is inspired.” Read more
NEARBY
By Lauren m. Rush
Imelda McCain was a nurse for 15 years, but she always thought about opening her own business. The birth of her 7 year-old son, Lucas, however, has had a tremendous influence on the direction of that business. “When Lucas was born, everything changed,” she say. “I look at the world differently, and I want Lucas to be acquainted with and aware of the global community that he lives in, not just his local culture and surrounding neighborhood.
From that maternal desire, the concept for Playing Mantis, McCain store in Nyack, began to take shape. With support from her husband, Dr. Donald A. McCain, a surgical oncologist in Hackensck, N.J., Imelda began to make her vision a reality. The store which opened in September 2006, features “toys and craft made by hand from around the world inspired by children and mother-nature. Each toy, each craft, tells a story of a heritage, of a culture, and of a passion with artistic and humane expression. Read more
By Lynn Lozer Read more
