Welcome To Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co

Having trouble finding the right gauntlets to go with your mask? Need to test your cape to make sure it’s hanging just right? Or maybe you’re all out of invisibility? The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co just might be able to save the day.

This small store in Brooklyn’s Park Slope has a range of bright capes, heroic shorts, tutus, tiaras, muscle vests and themed T-shirts. Tubs offer qualities like magnificence and chutzpah, plus antigravity and antimatter. There are both doom and gloom for anyone feeling villainous, a special “devillainizer” kit for those looking to turn their back on evil and a mind reader if you just can’t decide. Books and posters complete the selection. “Everyone needs to have that superhero to hold on to when life gets hard,” says executive director Joshua Mandelbaum.

Visitors can browse a variety of items, such as superhero masks

Behind the mask

So far, so good, but – wouldn’t you know it – the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co has a secret. Head through a secret doorway, and you’ll find a (fully functioning) learning space. It’s part of a nationwide non-profit that uses trips, workshops, mentoring and other resources to help kids write and tell stories. Its parent company, 826 National, was set up by writer Dave Eggers and educator Nínive Clements Calegari, and it assists children across the USA.

That’s right – the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co is not alone. There are seven similar shops, including the Boston Bigfoot Research Institute, the Pirate Supply Store in California, Chicago’s Wicker Park Secret Agent Supply Co and the New Orleans Haunting Supply Co The stores aim to engage families with the organization’s work, as well as generate income – they also help with retail zoning restrictions.

The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company (372 5th Avenue in Brooklyn, NY) is open from noon to 6pm, Tuesday through Sunday. There’s a full list of 826 National’s shopfronts here, and you can also volunteer at the organization.

Culture Trips launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes places and communities so special.

Our immersive trips, led by Local Insiders, are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and an invitation to travel the world with like-minded explorers. Our Travel Experts are on hand to help you make perfect memories. All our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.?>

All our travel guides are curated by the Culture Trip team working in tandem with local experts. From unique experiences to essential tips on how to make the most of your future travels, we’ve got you covered.