Pudgy Penguins is waddling into Valentine’s Day weekend with a limited-time Pudgy Petals pop-up in Manhattan that’s a perfect daytime date destination for couples, friends, and families from any colony.
The three-day pop-up between Feb. 12-14 from noon to 6 p.m., will bring the brand’s lovable characters, Paxton and Polly Pengu, to the Bowery Showroom at 55 Delancey St. on the Lower East Side.
It will also coincide with New York Fashion Week and the New York Toy Fair, placing Pudgy Penguins at the intersection of fashion, toys and pop culture.
Lovebirds can warm their tail feathers inside the showroom, immersing themselves in the Valentine’s Day spirit as they receive free aura readings, sip on pink and blue matcha drinks, nibble on snacks from the candy bar, or get matching couples’ tattoos to celebrate Friday the 13th.
An interactive art piece at the pop-up’s entrance will also give fans a fun photo opportunity to truly seal the deal on their Valentine’s Day experience.
Guests can waddle around the shop for exclusive Pudgy Penguins merchandise, including the limited edition Valentine’s Day plush bouquet for $49.99 that features Paxton and Polly in a bouquet that will never wilt.
And, just as penguins do, couples can also symbolize their lifelong love by gifting each other a customized “Forever Pebble” in a special keepsake box for $19.99.
According to Steve Starobinsky, the brand’s head of partnerships and director of business development, the pop-up serves as an opportunity to bring the virtual phenomenon of Pudgy Penguins to the retail space and provide fans an opportunity to interact with the brand in a physical setting.
Valentine’s Day is like a second Christmas for Pudgy Penguins, he explained, which makes it a perfect opportunity for the brand to make the penguin partners the face of the holiday.
“This brand has become the first couple of the internet — it’s the internet’s boyfriend and girlfriend,” Starobinsky said. “I think couples see themselves in the content and they’re able to resonate with it. It’s important to us to have these little moments where we all feel seen.”
Paxton, the brand’s masculine character, and Polly, the brand’s feminine character, both embody different character traits fans of all genders and sexual orientations can connect with.
The brand’s millions of fans, Starboinsky noted, often share their Instagram and TikTok content with their partners because the scenarios are relatable.
While the world may seem cold at times, he continued, Pudgy Penguins intends to provide a bit of warmth and magic in couples’ lives by reminding them of their loving partners.
That is precisely the energy the brand hopes to bring to the Pudgy Petals pop-up, he said, just as they have in the past at events like San Diego Comic-Con, Art Basel Miami Beach, and various events in New York, Texas, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
“New York is the epicenter of pop culture and trends,” he said. “It’s cold there right now, so we feel right at home as penguins.”
This year’s campaign, which the brand is calling “Waddle I Do Without You,” isn’t just aimed at couples, Starobinsky pointed out, and can be celebrated by the whole family.
He also emphasized that all couples, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, are welcome at the playful pop-up to share a special moment with their partners and express their love on Valentine’s Day.
“Love is for everyone, and we want to be the symbol of love,” Starobinsky said. “I think the pop-up will be a way for couples to really cement it for life.”
Follow Pudgy Penguins on Instagram, @pudgypenguins, or TikTok, @pudgypenguins, for more.
