There are many small businesses here in the Keweenaw Peninsula, but perhaps the most unique one is K. C. Bonkers in Hancock. They’re a fun-loving toy and coffee shop that is very serious about play.
Blayd Lewandowski, who has been a barista there since September 2015, said “The idea of K. C. Bonkers came about when Clay and Adrienne Hilman wanted to own a toy store but they didn’t really know exactly how to do it. The other owners who live in Minnesota, Kelsey and Justin Carriere, wanted to own a coffee shop. Over a campfire one night, they were talking and the ideas naturally came together – toys and coffee.”
After two years of talking about the idea and planning, K. C. Bonkers finally opened up in the summer of 2015.
They have many popular items, on both the toy side and the coffee side. “Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty is a popular one,” said Blayd. “People love it. We also sell a lot of Mad Mattr. They’re two things that are really fiddly, tactile and physical.”
K. C. Bonkers prides themselves on featuring toys you wouldn’t normally see and travels to toy conventions to find new and interesting items to introduce to the store. Plus-Plus Building Blocks are made in Denmark and are one of the unique toys you can find there. They also sell a variety of yo-yos, Kendamas, marbles and so much more. Blayd said, “A lot of people will ask us, ‘What does it do?’ and it doesn’t do anything. It just sits there. But the instant you pick it up, you can do anything with it.”
They also have a wide variety of board games for sale and to play with. Many people like to go and enjoy a nice cup of coffee while they play a new game with their friends and family. K. C. Bonkers also hosts a game night on Thursdays starting at 6 p.m. Anyone who likes board games is welcome to stop in and play, and you can even bring your own game. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people who share the same interests and find new games to play as well.
As for drinks, K. C. Bonkers provides coffee-lovers with the usual drinks such as caramel macchiatos and cappuccinos, but they also have their own specialty drinks. “Bonker Bubblers and Magic Coffee are huge here,” explained Blayd, “We put legitimate magic into our coffee that we get out of a music box. There is a different story behind every Bubbler though, they come from all over the world. If you look at Dragon’s blood, that comes from Northern Europe and Northern European Dragons. The dragons actually donate their blood to the Dragon’s Blood Donation Center.”
When you drink a Bubbler, you have to first gently blow air through the straw to the bottom of the Bubbler in order to mix it up. If you don’t, some wild things can happen, “Each Bubbler has an effect, so that if you were to drink it straight, it would be devastating one way or the other,” said Blayd, “The reason we mix the potion with the fizzy drink when making a Bubbler is to dilute it. We have had kids drink a Love Potion Bubbler without mixing it and fall in love with the first thing they even think about. Once a kid fell in love with mosquitoes, which is clearly a very one-sided relationship. That’s why we carry the Antidote Bubbler, we’re always ready.”
As to their plans for the future, they don’t seem to be slowing down, “We’re looking into getting an online shop soon,” explained Blayd. “We’re looking into the social media and video aspect of things as well. We like making fun videos and radio ads to get our name out there but more importantly to get the message out there that you should take things a little less seriously, and play a little more seriously.”
“I definitely hope everyone leaves with a feeling of merriment,” said Blayd. For anyone who is looking for a fun new place to check out, K. C. Bonkers is the place to be. Their new take on a coffee and toy store hits the mark dead on, and everyone is guaranteed to leave with a smile on their face.
