Martian Toys Owner Aaron Hulsizer Defaces Five Points Fest

Now that all the feel-good wrap up posts about Five Points have been shared, I need to bring up something very dark and negative that happened at Five Points 2023.

Like myself, Aaron Hulsizer (owner of the Martian Toys company and the Mothership Gallery in Philly) did not have a booth at the event. We both opted to attend the event anyway, and he was there when I showed up. I spoke to him for a while at the front of the show, the first person I stopped to chat with right when i walked in, before i spoke to about 4 other associates in the designer toy industry. I had several different conversations right in a row, without moving very far.

As I was talking to about the 4th person, he turned me around and peeled a big red Supreme-style sticker off my back. The sticker read: “Public Urinal.” I crumpled it up and threw it out.

This was extremely embarrassing for me to be humiliated in public amongst my peers, but I had no idea who placed it on me so I continued with the show. I had a great time chatting with toy vendors, artists, manufacturers and the many visitors from other cities and countries.

The whole time, though, I was thinking: Who hates me this much here? They are walking around near me right now. Who could it be? I asked some friends- people had seen these stickers around at the show. but no one knew whose stickers they were.

Then the stickers started popping up elsewhere, slapped on various vendors’ booths! I mentioned it to the management of the show - do you guys know who brought the Public Urinal stickers? They didn’t know, but their own booth had been stickered too, along with many others.

Show ended, I had dinner with some toy / art friends, I went home. The next morning, I heard from show management: they had discovered and verified who brought the Public Urinal stickers because one vendor caught him in the act, red handed: it was Aaron Hulsizer, owner of Martian Toys!

I was shocked! I had literally had a conversation with him first at the show, I took time out of my day to speak to a toy vendor whose toy I am currently carrying as a shop exclusive.

Aaron and I had had our differences in the past, but I assumed that was in the past based on that conversation and also previous normal conversations I have had with him recently on the phone.

Boy, was I wrong.

I was furious. I had to call him to ask him if he did it. With an act this negative, this hurtful, I cannot just immediately believe it when an accusation like that is made. I needed to hear it right from him. So I called Aaron and he immediately admitted to placing all the stickers around the show and on my back.

Imagine that. Imagine being a part of a community, manufacturing and selling the toys that make up part of the community, and then deciding to attend a show filled with community members, and placing Public Urinal stickers all over the show, defacing the booths of other toy artists and vendors, and even placing an insulting sticker ON to a person that you do business with?

A public urinal is a place where everybody goes to take a piss. If you label someone as a "public urinal" you are effectively saying "Hey everyone, come take a piss on this guy!" Or rather: "Hey world, this person is garbage and you should humiliate them by pissing on them!" Unacceptable.

I cannot fathom the reasoning behind this, but every time I think about it, it makes my blood boil. There’s no explaining it away. There is no way to rationalize it. It’s not OK. Far from OK.

It is the single most obnoxious, negative and hurtful thing anyone has ever done to me, personally or professionally.

I will not be labeled as anyone’s Public Urinal. I will not stand silently by as I am humiliated in front of my peers. I will never be bullied. So here is this blog post. I kindly recreated Aaron's Supreme style Public Urinal stickers for you so you can see what they look like. He put one on my back.

Aaron Hulsizer is Public Urinal

I am not going to sit here and tell you what to think about this situation, that’s not for me to say.

I do know that this final straw is the end of our relationship. He’s been trying to malign me and destroy my business for as long as he has been in designer toys - smiling in my face and then talking smack about me in private on phone calls to other members of the community. It has been absolutely insane dealing with Aaron Hulsizer since he got into designer toys. Ask around; you’ll hear the same thing from 100 other people.

Finally, here in 2023, he has committed such a public malicious act - and admitted to it - that it cannot be denied. I no longer feel the need to sweep it under the rug for whatever reason, as myself and countless others have done with Aaron’s countless tirades, impulsive attacks, unethical business practices, and absolutely endless shit talking that have amounted to a tsunami of negativity from the guy ever since he opened Martian Toys.

Do with this info what you will. Keep supporting Martian Toys, or don’t. I don’t even care. At least now you all know what kind of person he is.

Me? I’m done.

That’s why I am clearancing out the remainder of the TEQ63s I have. I don’t care at what price. I have them at $50 off but I’d sell them cheaper if you want more than one. Here is the link and the discount code is RESPECT - you know, that concept which I give freely and expect in return? Yeah. Respect.

If I never have to hear the words Martian Toys again in my life, I will be happier. Good riddance.

- Benny