2007
We began as "Dream in Plastic" in a basement in Brooklyn. The vision of Jenny and her best friend, who were obsessed with collecting vinyl art toys and always dreamt of opening their own business...
This webstore became a culmination of everything they loved & shopped for. They had always been notoriously good gift-givers, and extended their playful and fun attitudes to their product offerings – an eclectic mix of housewares, designer art toys, cameras, accessories, bath & body items, socks, stickers and more.
2009
After having to give up their sweet [free] basement shipping warehouse in Brooklyn, they opened the current brick-and-mortar store in 2009 in the charming Hudson River town of Beacon, New York.
2019
In August of 2019, Dream in Plastic changed its name to Zakka Joy. After 10 years in Beacon, we knew the shop had evolved so far from its original form, that the name itself no longer reflected who we are. Also, we care very much about our environment, so it hurt our feelings (and our business) when people occasionally dismissed us as a store full of single-use plastics and useless junk solely based on our name.
Zakka ("Zah-kah") is a Japanese word, for which there really is no English equivalent. But, it means:
- Seeing the beauty in something mundane.
- Uncategorizable or miscellaneous things.
- Everything and anything that improves your home, life and appearance.
- Humble, everyday objects that bring their users great satisfaction.
- Things that accompany our everyday lifestyle spaces and provide an element of decoration.
- Things mixed together with great variety.
Zakka (thing) + Joy (the feeling when you discover the thing) = Zakka Joy
We have never encountered a word like zakka that sums us up so distinctly. And the shop really is about is that moment of happy (ahem, "Joy") you experience when you discover that one thing (or ten): a pencil that you cherish, a pair of socks with your favorite animal on them, a toy to keep you company, a hand-poured soy candle, or the perfect gift for someone. We strive to always curate the shop with the latest, greatest and most unexpected products.