It served to fulfill the artist's desire to make his iconic and beloved imagery accessible to the widest possible range of people both during his lifetime and posthumously through the Keith Haring Foundation.
"[1] First known for his chalk drawings in the New York City subway, Keith Haring gained international recognition after a solo exhibition at Tony Shafrazi Gallery in 1982.
''[4] The store was designed by the architectural firm of Moore & Pennoyer, but Haring painted the wall, floor and ceiling.
Photographer Tseng Kwong Chi recorded many events related to the creation of the Tokyo Pop Shop.
"[6] When the shop closed, the painted containers that shaped the store were given to art publisher George Mulder of Berlin as a gift from Haring.
Matthew Barolo, operations manager at the Keith Haring Foundation, felt the resources would be better spent for other projects.
[12][13] In 2009, the shop was reconstructed as part of London's Tate Modern's exhibition Pop Life: Art in a Material World.