Boy Toy: Jason Kiningham

All over town, overgrown kids are whispering at the water cooler, "Hey, have you been to Red Hot Robot?" The central Phoenix shop offers specialty limited-edition toys usually found only in bigger cities and online. The toys became popular in Japan (where else?) and made their way stateside, with many prominent graffiti artists designing their own series. They're highly collectible and, with their high price tags, aren't meant for kids. Jason Kiningham got in on the trend when he started giving Dunnies, tiny vinyl figurines that are almost irresistibly collectible, as gifts. As a toy collector, he realized there was a need for a store like this in the Valley (even Tucson had one before Phoenix, boo hoo) and since he opened his doors this summer, business has been booming.

I arrived in Phoenix a dreamer.

When I’m stuck in traffic, I

wish I would've taken a different route.

I never forget to TiVo

an episode of Lost.

One thing my mother doesn’t know about me is

that I never really wanted to be a doctor.

On Saturday night, you can find me

recovering from Friday night.

My favorite thing about summer in Phoenix is

watching monsoon storms on the front porch.

If I could redo my first kiss, I’d kiss

when I was a little older (my first kiss was in first grade).

The one dessert I refuse to eat is

sweet potato pie.

If I was mayor of Phoenix, I’d

declare an official "toy day."

In high school, I was the kid who

always wore Smiths and Morrissey T-shirts.

In another life, I

was a jewel thief.

On my nightstand, you’ll find a bunch of toys, of course.

The fictional character I’m most like is

Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

One thing I want to do before I die is

produce my own toy.

The best thing about Phoenix is