Q: Could you share the story of Anime Claw and how you came to open in Chinatown?

Andy: The first Anime Claw opened in Flushing by my business partner, and he was looking to franchise the business. I’ve always loved claw machines, and I decided that it was a good franchise opportunity. I met up with him, we decided on a location that would work best, and Chinatown seemed perfectly suited for another claw machine store.

Q: What inspired the focus on anime-themed prizes, and how do you choose which characters or franchises to feature?

Andy: We try to figure out what’s popular, what people are going to like, and we’ve switched around a little bit. On one hand, the people who go to the Anime Claw in Flushing might be more interested in anime-specific items, but here, it’s really touristy. A lot of people come from all over to visit Chinatown, so sometimes we have more generic plushies, such as animal or Disney-themed ones. We do still have merch for people who are anime fans, but it’s all based on what the staff and I think are going to be popular and do well.

Q: How do you ensure the claw machines offer a fair and enjoyable experience for customers?

Andy: We always make sure to help out customers when they are struggling. A lot of

people come to our store, and they’ll win on their own because claw machines are a little bit of luck and a little bit of skill. But, when people come in and they aren’t able to win on their own, we make sure all of our staff are trained to come in and say, “Can we assist you?” or “Can we

move around the plushies at all?” We try to make sure that most people walk out of our store as winners.

Q: What’s the most popular prize in the arcade, and what do you personally enjoy seeing customers win?

Andy: Our most popular stuff includes Pokémon, Sanrio, and, surprisingly, capybaras; sometimes it’s our seasonal anime items. But honestly, it really depends on the season and who’s coming in. I enjoy seeing people win anything, to be honest. Whenever people are happy about winning a Cinnamoroll or like a Pikachu, I really like seeing that.

Q: What role does Anime Claw play in introducing or celebrating Japanese pop culture in New York?

Andy: We have imported goods from multiple Asian countries, many directly from Japan. We try to include authentic aspects of Japanese culture, such as ichiban kuji’s, which are Japanese prize lotteries where you buy a ticket, and that ticket gives you something random. Everybody who buys a ticket wins something, and it might be a small or a big prize. It’s one of the things that we offer in our store, and it’s authentically a very Japanese thing. In general, our store is a place for people who are anime fans to come in and be excited when they see Japanese IP merchandise here.

Q: Could you share any stories of memorable customer wins or moments in the arcade?

Andy: It’s hard to think of specific examples because customers are winning all the time, but I would say whenever someone wins out of our scissor machine, where they’re able to cut the red rope and get a prize that’s as big as them. Those are always the most exciting wins to watch. But also, customers can scream or freak out or be excited over anything. Sometimes it’s as small as a regular plushie or keychain, but sometimes it’s a labubu, pop mart figure, or something bigger. It’s always nice to see when people win the big prizes.

Q: How has the Chinatown community responded to Anime Claw since its opening?

Andy: We’re one of two claw machine arcades in Chinatown, so the reception has been very good. People have been excited to have a claw machine store near them, and I’ve had a lot of people tell me, “Oh, I always go to claw machine stores, but I’ve had to really go out of my way, so it’s nice that now there’s one in my neighborhood.” We see a lot of regulars, so that’s been really great. But also, the Chinatown BID has been very helpful – whenever we have any issues as a business, we’ll contact them and they’ve always been quick to help us. So, I feel like we’re very welcome here in Chinatown, and it’s been a great experience so far.

Q: What is the Chinatown BID?

Andy: The BID means business improvement district. So, there are BIDs all over New York, and they address certain issues that come up by talking to businesses, neighbors, and residents, as well as hosting events. Overall, they’re an organization that helps out the Chinatown businesses.

Q: What do you think has made your business successful?

Andy: It’s our customer service. We aim to create a space where people come in and know that they’re going to have a good time. We try to make sure that most of our customers walk out happy and feel fulfilled, whether they come in here with a date, family, or kids. Obviously, people feel great when they walk out with something, but not everyone will, and most of the time we’ll make sure they at least walk out with something little. In general, I feel like our whole thing is that we are attentive to our customers. 

Q: What do you envision for Anime Claw in the future?

Andy: Honestly, I hope our franchise and our brand grow because I love all of the Anime Claws that we have. Right now, we have three locations, and whenever people come into Anime Claw, I feel like people generally have a good experience here. There are a lot of claw machine places popping up in New York City, but, in general, I feel like the claw machines can almost be an afterthought. So, a lot of claw machine places are paired with food and drinks like bubble tea and fried chicken, which is great, but a lot of the staff, in my personal opinion, aren’t trained to care that much about the claw machine side of their business.

For us, I really like that we have good customer service, we try to be attentive to our customers, and make sure that everybody has a good time. So, for me, I would like to see Anime Claw expand and make sure that we continue to be a good place for people to come visit and have fun.