Elim Chew of 77th Street hopes to pass her Star Wars collection to a true fan

A cool US$50,000 ($64,695)– that’s how much entrepreneur Elim Chew, best known for her chain of 2000s streetwear stores 77th Street, estimates a rare vinyl cape Jawa figurine from the Star Wars franchise is worth.

“There are fewer than 20 in the world. I have one in mint condition – unpunched,” she says, meaning it comes in a packaging with an unpunched hanger hole, making it more pristine and valuable to collectors.

“It could be auctioned off at a really good price – anyone can make an offer [to me]. I look forward to selling it to someone who can appreciate the toys. I think it’d be nice to pass on this legacy to another person,” adds the 59-year-old with a smile. 

The diminutive toy – measuring about three inches tall and manufactured by American toy brand Kenner in the 1970s – sits in a floor-to-ceiling glass cabinet in Elim’s home. 

The display also houses a hodgepodge of vintage Star Wars figurines, various iterations of her favourite character, Yoda, and an eclectic assortment of toys and prototypes customised by local artists who brought their creations to Elim when she was running her 77th Street stores.

“There were young people who customised figures and sold them to me. Some of them I bought because the characters appeared in the movies but were never officially made into toys,” she says, picking up a Boba Fett figure, customised without the bounty hunter’s signature helmet.

It’s been about 20 years since Elim began collecting Star Wars action figures – a hobby that started when a customer brought in his collection of loose figurines to sell. 

What began as a way to support young artists and enterprising youths evolved into a business opportunity when she saw potential in a start-up called Falcon’s Hangar, which specialises in sourcing rare vintage Star Wars toys from eBay. Elim used their services to scout for items to add to her growing collection.

“It wasn’t easy to source these toys back then, because there was only eBay, and you had to wake up at a specific time to bid on them,” she says. 

“We loved their service and what they did. We invested in them, and in a few months, they returned our investment – plus profit. They’ve done really well. They’re business owners now, and that’s something we’re really proud of too.”

When asked what drew her to Star Wars, Elim shares her admiration for how Disney has revitalised the franchise since acquiring Lucasfilm in 2012 for a jaw-dropping US$4.05 billion ($52.41 billion).

“I even went to Disneyland in Florida just to experience it in person. Disney has done a great job reviving the whole Star Wars universe for a new generation of fans. It’s amazing how they’ve kept it alive.

“But if you’re collecting the new toys – it never ends. When I first started my collection, I realised I didn’t even know what I was collecting, because I was collecting ‘forwards’ – just buying new toys. Then I realised I could be more discerning by collecting ‘backwards’, starting from Empire Strikes Back. There are actually books you can buy to help you figure out what you’re collecting,” she advises.

Although Elim doesn’t keep track of how many figures she has collected or how much she has spent – “I don’t have a figure, because they come and go. I buy, I swap” – what she does remember is how Star Wars created moments of camaraderie with her staff and customers.

“The fun part about Star Wars was when Episode I came out. It was so exciting that my staff gathered all the customers who were crazy about Star Wars – there were about 120 of us. 

“We went to Lido, where it was showing. We were all dressed up and went as an entourage to watch the movie. When the opening music came on, everyone was cheering – they were so excited. It was unforgettable – that moment was very special to me,” she shares.

PHOTOGRAPHY Athirah Annissa
ART DIRECTION Ray Ticsay