Banksy's Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill

Prankster artist Banksy opened the Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill on New York City's 7th Avenue between West 4th and Bleeker Street. The shop is stocked with an animatronic-powered menagerie teeming with the likes of McDonald's Chicken McNuggets drinking barbecue sauce, a CCTV camera and its offspring, a bunny at a vanity, and other faux furry friends. Wooster Collective paid a visit to the shop which will be open daily from 10am to midnight until Halloween. Banksy's Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill (Thanks, Lindsay Tiemeyer!)

• [dbrown]

  Saw it this afternoon and it’s super great. Place was full of kids and people walking their little dogs, which of course is funny. The animatronics are subtle and hypnotic. Thought the chimp was a little obvious but the filet-o-fish and hot dogs more than make up for it.

• [franko]

  banksy is awesome. that is all.

• [jrucifer]

  It is interesting other peoples attitude to animals. This same artist was attacked by animal rights activists for painting an elephant and having it stand in a warehouse show.

  I think this ‘piece’ is commenting more on society than animals.

  Banksy never ceases to amaze. He says so much and his work is always so much fun!

• [pauldrye]

  Otherwise known as “The You’re-a-Little-Too-Late Petting Zoo”.

• [Anonymous]

  Just to let you all know – Banksy has a website for this too:

  http://thevillagepetstoreandcharcoalgrill.com/menu.html

  lots of video

• [padster123]

  Excellent. Hope the animatronics stand up over time. Or maybe when they start to stick and break down, the effect will be even better!

• [endonyc]

  Found a video on it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC9O7DWE-UU

• [codekitchen]

  That video clip is amazing, I wish I wasn’t most of a continent away from NYC. Banksy is fast becoming my #1 favorite artist of all time.

• [Merts0812]

  I went to go see this last night — and it was awesome! I loved the Louis Vuitton lizards, the bunny with make-up…and the monkey was extraordinary.

  Anyway, it’s fantastic. I recommend everyone go see it if they have the chance.

• [Anonymous]

  Their site is hilarious. Really good stuff.

• [Anonymous]

  more about Banksy his art and the village pet store
  http://monsterfresh.com/2008/10/23/pet-shop-boyee-banksys-village-pet-store-and-charcoal-grill/

• [Brett Burton]

  I went last night and the animatronics are insane. There’s a chimp watching TV that has incredibly subtle movements and someone asked if the rabbit in the window was real. It was tough to force myself to visit the West Village, but I’m so glad I did.

• [Anonymous]

  Photos:
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/joannou/sets/72157607944903560/

• [mistervega]

  this just goes to show that he is still so innovative and keeps up with great conceptual works.

• [connor]

  it is interesting other peoples attitude to animals. i saw an article i think in the daily mail today about a canadian man who fought off and killed an angry bear as he was walking his dog. who did the 1st commenter side with ? the bear (so the man should have let the bear eat him?). same with people shelling out thousands for animal charities over human ones. also this article in the guardian today http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/09/animalwelfare.food