Rivet

Rivet is easily one of my favorite places to visit each time I am in the Short North. It is a combination book/​art/​toy store and I always want to spend way more money there than I actually have.
Lets start with the toys. «Toys» isn’t quite right. These are designer collectibles and they can vary greatly in price since some of them are blind box items that start at $ 9 and go up to limited edition signed and numbered items in the $$$ range. These are not toys you buy for your kid. These are toys you buy for yourself and display on your desk at work or on your bookcase at home. I own several fun Kid Robot and Joe Ledbetter pieces because they make me happy!
There is also an extensive collection of books covering a wide range of topics but usually relating to art and artists. I picked up two books about Banksy that I hadn’t seen anywhere else before! Yay!
The walls are also covered with a massive selection of art available for purchase. Much of the work is made by local artists or is curated by the shop owner. She also brings in new artists to display on the walls regularly and they are always unique and inspiring. You can flip through stacks of prints that are for sale which are usually very reasonably priced.
They also carry a fun selection of plush toys which you *could* give to your kids but will probably want to keep for yourself. You can also shop for Tokidoki, Labbit, a selection of comic books, stickers… the list goes on. I usually spend at least 30 minutes here each visit just browsing and wishing I had more money to spend.
Rivet is really a toy store for adults who don’t want to grow up but can appreciate art.

Despite the «toy shop» label, Rivet is more of a small gallery for the grown-​up comic, cartoon, and art crowd. It’s interesting to browse, particularly to view the gallery on display, mostly because the items and décor are very «eclectic.» It’s a mix between mainstream cartoon character figurines (like Adventure Time or Bob’s Burgers), to creepy-​looking dolls, to fantasy or animé characters that were too obscure for me to recognize.
I’m not a collector of any kind, so I found Rivet interesting but not the type of store where I’d make a purchase. Prices can be very high and intimidating for the casual browser (think hundreds of dollars for a paper doll set).
That being said, if you’re actually seeking something specific for your collection, you might just have luck here. While the shop is very small, the staff seemed really knowledgable and dedicated to the specific genre of collectables.

Great local place for vinyl toys and art.

Yay! I’m a fan but my basis for 4-​stars is focused on the art dealer’s dedication to the odd and surreal more than the toys/​art found in Rivet.
I spent a good 10 minutes going nook to nook for looks at the interesting toy art. The featured goods seemed a cross between «Nightmare Before Christmas» and «Toy Story» with a little Saturday morning cartoons thrown in. Quite honestly I didn’t find any item that fits my scheme, either decorating or for friends I know who would receive a gift from me. Yet there are whimsical things staring back at you that, if I owned one or two, friends would look at and ask about. So the artist is on the money as the work has HIGH CURIOSITY value.
Pawing through a large trunk near the owner’s back of the store didn’t surface a stuffed animal/​beastie that would go home with me but, once again, the large and small things staring back at me made me smile.
Riviet, like many other Short North shops, is an important part of the shopping blend found here on this High Street walkabout. I strongly suggest a visit as you’ll be smiling upon arrival and departure.

Rivet is pretty neat, and I enjoy browsing whenever I’m in the area. But, honestly, I probably wouldn’t purchase any of the toys for myself. They’re mostly art toys– perfect for those who collect from certain lines, but it’s not a place to pick up something for a child. This is for adults, and I prefer to just look.
However, I love looking at the art. It’s in a more affordable range, as far as gallery pieces go, and I could see myself buying some art from here one day, maybe.

Dawww! How cute that this store emphasizes its collections of designer art toys and doesn’t just restrict them to their own little section among other types of inventory! :-) In addition, the staff is very friendly and gladly honored my Unilocal deal for a free button even though the store was about to close – so, thanks for making me smile, Rivet! :-D
P. S. Yes, I too bought an Uglydoll. :-P

The store is cool– hands down. It is equal parts gallery and store. The illustrations that are privileged to hand on the walls are not low-​brow in the sense of unrefined, at all. They are illustrations.
hmm… wiki is my friend, after reading this post on «lowbrow art movement» —
****Lowbrow, or lowbrow art,[1] describes an underground visual art movement that arose in the Los Angeles, California, area in the late 1970s. Lowbrow is a widespread populist art movement with origins in the underground comix world, punk music, hot-​rod street culture, and other subcultures. It is also often known by the name pop surrealism. Lowbrow art often has a sense of humor — sometimes the humor is gleeful, sometimes impish, and sometimes it is a sarcastic comment.[2]
Most lowbrow artworks are paintings, but there are also toys, digital art, and sculpture.*****
— I will completely agree that this store IS lowbrow (as per the above definition). In fact, it is the epitome of lowbrow. Rivet is filled with artwork, toys, sculptures and more. It is a cornucopia of visual art and your eyes will feast on the colours and moods.

I’m not one to check out an art gallery much (let alone one that’s animé/​cartoon-​themed), but I wouldn’t have known I was even in a gallery without hearing about Rivet prior to my visit.
It’s a small gallery — and a cool one at that — but for me, it was the additional toys and unique gifts that made me like this place.
I ended up buying some Ugli Doll postcards for my sister, and almost a paint-​your-​own figurine that would’ve kept me busy for hours (and it was washable/​reusable!)
I’d recommend this place just to go give it a look-​through to be entertained and romanticize why you didn’t make a living out of your monster drawings you made when you were six.

I love Rivet, it’s one of the only places in Columbus with quality Low Brow art. Plus the owners are super nice, and the regulars at the show openings are always fun to talk to. Nice selection of toys for such a small space. I can’t help but buy something every time I go in.

I had always thought the Short North area lacked a gallery featuring more pop/​surreal art that appeals more to younger generations. I was thrilled to find this place on Unilocal and had to pay a visit. Plus they have art toys! I just had to get my Dunny fix.
The gallery while small, manages to fit plenty of original art and art toys without seeming overly crowded. Staff was also very friendly.
I will definitely return — if not for the art toys, then for some art on my walls!

I’m not really into gallery-​art much, but as a photographer, I need props — lots of fun props.
I first visited Rivet during one of the many Gallery Hop events, and now revisit this location during more off-​peak times to purchase collectible toys.
On Gallery Hop nights, they typically have more art kicking around, people milling about, snaky food and beverages, and I’m sure they’re open later than usual — that’s the Gallery Hop way.
On non-​Gallery Hop days, there never seems to be crazy amounts of traffic, which suits me just fine. I like to shop and take my time. On the other hand, I do wish more people would shop here, because that means they’ll stick around as a business, and that’s a win for everyone. I’m not sure if there’s a good market for selling vinyl toys and art, but I really like Rivet as a business, and hope they succeed in the long-​term.
Someone mentioned in a previous review that you could purchase these collectible toys at Urban Outfitters or Spencers. Frankly, I don’t think they have the same demographic at all.
I focus mainly on the Uglydoll vinyl toys, which make for fun photo props, and they also make people laugh at work when I put them on their desks, or on the cubicle partition walls. There are many other vinyl toys, and some fun/​freaky art. They’ve been offering clothing too, t-​shirts and the like, which is cool — just haven’t gotten around to buying any yet. Toys!
I think the difference between the commodity toys you could buy elsewhere, and the items you can buy at Rivet is the artistic and indie feel to them. They seem to go out of their way to source not just the indie-​popular stuff, but also lesser-​known items, which provides a good balance. Yes, you’ll pay a little bit more for an item here, but they also have a great policy on the blind items (if you already have it, you can put that item on display, and buy the next one) and the owners/​staff know their products well.
I think the best way to describe the difference between Rivet and a regular or novelty toy-​store is like the difference between your local record store versus one of the big box stores. The feel is different, and the product is often different too. As far as Uglydolls go, I haven’t seen a better selection in all of Columbus, and I’m a little bit addicted to this product line.
Other folks I go in with also purchase from the Fortune Pork line, and they have a nice selection of Frank Kozik items (Smorkin’ Labbit, etc.)
It’s a little bit of a walk from the center-​of-​mass of the Short North, especially during Gallery Hop, but if you take a few extra minutes to walk a little bit further, you’ll be happy you did.
Also, as an added bonus, during Gallery Hop, I believe Rad Dog often has their cart out front. Super tasty food, an eclectic mix of toys and some indie art sprinkled in, what more could you ask for?

An Awesome Experience if you are in the Short North. My favorite toy store in the city. Everything from Vinyl toys to cool local art. Great national artists come here to showcase their work.

The art here, as others have stated, is of the lowbrow variety, but it’s all top notch. It’s not the «lowbrow because the artist isn’t really very good or imaginative» kind (you get a lot of that from mediocre tattoo artists trying to branch out into fine art, I find). Lots of cool, nifty toys you won’t find anywhere else, outside of online ordering. A very fun place to look around, but I’m too cheap to purchase anything. Definitely one of the more interesting galleries in the Short North if you like something a little more out of the ordinary.

The only place in Columbus that is worth your time if you are looking for low brow art. From Vinyl toys to very interesting framed art, Rivet has what the new school of art lovers want.
Rivet also shines when it comes to their shows during Gallery Hop. I talked with Scott about one of their upcoming shows, which features a camera made from a 500 year old Tibetan monks’ Skull! Dope is the only word that comes to mind when I heard that!
Get your plush toys and vinyls from here. And no, They don’t sell the other kind of adult toys! if you want that, go a few doors down.

This place is a pleasure trip for someone who is waiting for Coraline with baited breath, or someone who can sing alone to Nightmare Before Christmas. Creepy on the side of cute things are the specialty. The toys here, if you’re not used to it, are on the side of really rare action figures, or statues. This is me admitting to being a collector and an admirer. Rivet is the kind of place to go and drool, or to chat with people who are fairly like minded stylistically.
If you can appreciate art that doesn’t take itself too seriously, you’ll probably like it. If you look at even the highest quality graffiti with distaste, it’s probably not the place for you.

Rivet is not your typical gallery. They have paintings, yes, but their main products are toys. I don’t think ‘toy’ is really the right term. I mean, yeah, you could probably play with them, but these are more like fun little sculptures with sometimes moveable parts.
Because Rivet is so different, it’s impossible to peer in without venturing inside (unless they’re closed, then you’re just out of luck). This stuff is zany, cartoonish, cute, funny, original, semi-​dystopic, and posh. There are hard-​plastic, multi-​patterned bears; ceramic sculptures that look like children from one angle and animals from another; goose-​neck, long-​limbed, zombie-​eyed characters. Most everything has a twisted, Willy Wonka feel. There’s so much to study! I want to take it all home.
Their paintings and other 2-​D art are always captivating. It’s beyond contemporary. I really hate the label
’contemporary’ because it’s all-​encompassing. I think this art lives in a new genre. I haven’t seen much like it outside a few pieces at my Toledo Museum of art in Northern Ohio.
Rivet’s window displays are always cool too, and the gallery always sends out awesome art show postcards. I just love their style. And I love that they make art affordable too.
Rivet rocks. There’s nothing else like this in Columbus. I’m glad they’re here. I don’t get in there nearly as much as I should.

Rivet is hands down my favorite gallery in the Short North, and realistically my favorite gallery in Columbus.
I’m an avid reader of Juxtapoz and drool over the art featured in the magazine. It’s lowbrow and commercial, but it’s this great mix of skill and design. It can be photography, paintings, graffiti, or designer toys. And it’s the latter mentioned form of art that you’ll see in great numbers at Rivet.
I wish I knew more about designer toys. I always feel like an outsider when people talk about labbits, kidrobot, or rotofugi. I want to learn more, and the selection of designer toys to buy at Rivet would provide me with a great start.
Toys aren’t the only thing! There’s certainly a traditional gallery side to Rivet as well. Plenty of great poster designs, prints, and other colorful, bright, and well designed art flow in and out of Rivet. The art is also reasonably priced, and someone looking to hang something original or local in their home can find something hip at Rivet.
I wish I produced the type of art that hangs in Rivet, because I would be honored to show my art there.

I’m adding this addendum to this review given the utterly disgraceful behaviour of member Scott K. While other store owners have taken my criticisms and either used it to motivate their customers to write better reviews (Whattherock?) or simply e-​mailed me to discuss the concept of their store, this individual opted to expose my full name, threaten lawsuit, and make slanderous comments about my person.
While I’m sure his wife is a good businesswoman and her toys appeal to a select group, this behaviour was entirely unacceptable and although the individual removed his threats on this board, his commentary was continued over at Columbus Underground ad nauseum.
I understand small businesses are ‘hurting’ in the economy, but a bad review is just that, a bad review. It does not indicate that I am paid, that I am targeting the short north (which I quite like, actually,) or that I am a bad person. I never once said in my original review that the owners were bad people or had illigitimate movitations.
I’ve been here twice. My sister, an art student, thought it was ‘kinda cool’ and actually bought a toy. My review was of the store as a gallery. As I frequent the gallery hop and have been to quite a few galleries outside Columbus (and Rivet is indeed listed as a gallery as well as a store) I do believe I have some qualification, to review. Actually, being a human being in the United States I have the right to express my opinion whenever I like… but that is beside the point.
I don’t dig it. I’m not their target audience. Given Scott’s actions, however, it appears that giving a bad review makes one «a target» of one sort or another.

The Rivet Gallery is probably my favorite gallery in the Short North now that Cowtown Art has vanished. They specialize in designer toys and «lowbrow», illustrative art that matches the same themes of sophisticated childishness and the wonderful horrors of adolescence.
Hip, bright, well laid-​out, and just plain inviting, Rivet Gallery could only be improved by increasing in size. Working with what they have, though, is doing well for them: in their tiny space they have a wide variety of designer toys laid out elegantly and unconfusingly.
From Labbits to Dunnys and all sorts of stuff in between, this is the only Short North destination for the new wave of not-​quite-​for-​kids toys, action figures, and figurines. Hip, expensive, and imminently cool, this is where to shop for your favorite immature hipster or giggling art student friend.