This is a very fun and unique experience that all ages will enjoy. We took our daughter out to enjoy painting an iconic Norfolk mermaid. There are so many options for paint, glitter, accessories and objects to paint. The staff kindly walked us through the steps and process providing excellent customer service. There is a wide selection of anything mermaids in this store as well. I searched online and Etsy for similar mermaids and they do not exist. I found this service and product is very much worth the value to create your own piece of art and souvenir unique to Norfolk. You can also bring your own wine, have a date night or ladies night here. I have tried a few paint nights and similar craft shops, this one is by far my favorite. read more

Mermaid Factory - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Super cute store/art studio in Norfolk. Good selection of Mermaid stuffed toys, ornaments, toys, and art projects. I didn't paint but definitely would in the future. Reasonably priced. Fun outing. read more

What fun this is. I got a blank and had some paints and left over beads at home. Painting. Decorating and making up a mermaid for my granddaughter for her birthday. Next time we'll come in and she can paint her own. read more

Mermaid Factory - My bejeweled mermaid - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

a little disappointed. it's 1:36 on a Tuesday afternoon. sign clearly says open yet no one is there and doors are locked I am sitting here a three people have walked up to the door. read more

Had an awesome time! Julia was so helpful, patient, and friendly! She was such a great help. We went to the shop in Virginia Beach. If you are looking for something to do- this is it! Great fun and a great souvenir! Hopefully Julia will be there! They had plenty of mermaids waiting to be painted. Let your imagination run! Julia will help any way she can. read more

This was such a special experience! I grew up in Norfolk & got to see mermaid statues in the city, so it was very cool to actually make my own! Don't know if it's due to covid, but when we went we were the only group in the store, the employee was very helpful and answered all our questions. It is sort of on the pricey side, but it was 100% worth the money because of this special experience. read more

Mermaid Factory - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

What a neat little place! My girlfriend took me here last week for our one year anniversary. It was such a cute place to spent couple of hours. We made a reservation for 12pm on a Sunday and the place was pretty crowded. They had to even turn some ppl away without an appointment. We finished at around 2pm. There were a good amount of people that needed to be service so it took a bit of time to pack our artwork and leave. They have all different kinds of paints and trinkets that you can glue onto your mermaid or dolphin. Super cute activity for kids, elderly, families and even couples. My girlfriend and I had a great time and got really into it. We barely spoke to each other for 2 hours cause we got so into painting our designs. It costed around 50-60$ between the two of us but you can bring home your design! read more

Mermaid Factory - which one do you like better?? - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

THIS PLACE IS SO COOL! Ah! So, my friend surprised me and brought me here as a "going away" gift since I'm moving soon. Which is perfect, because it made a wonderful souvenir to keep from the area! When you walk in (after making a reservation) it's just an open room with tables and painting stations set up at each one. They have everything you need laid out for you before you come, it was so welcoming and pleasant. After you've taken a look around at the other art for "inspiration" they explain that the paint is "open bar" and glitter and sand is unlimited (with plenty of other crafty items for sale). There is literally every color of paint you can think of!! Oh, and they include 2 glasses of WINE while you paint! Whaaaat! That was the icing on the cake for me. They had like 3-4 different options too which was nice. This was really special to me because not only do I NEVER do things like this (I have a 5 month old. Nuff said.), but I've previously been in art therapy classes... And learned this is an amazing way to relax, blow off steam, create, and enjoy life- in such a healthy way! I 100% recommend this to anyone, anytime! Love love loved it! read more

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This was my first time, we LOVED it! Reserving your spot is highly recommended. My daughter and I enjoyed having the whole little adorable mermaid factory to ourselves! The manager was very accommodating and helpful at explaining how to get started. We liked seeing all the mermaid items...they have everything from ornaments, wine glasses, and lots of children's items for purchase such as mermaid purses, color books, mermaid fins and more. As far as paining goes they have a good selection of paint colors to paint your mermaid, narwhal or dolphin. They have a good selection of add on accessories to hot glue onto your masterpiece. Prices were decent and the entire place was clean including the bathroom. This is not a place for babies or misbehaved toddlers, lots of breakable items. They do provide water and wine for a small fee. Parking is free on the street. I like that there are many places to eat all nearby. This place is also a great place for birthday parties. read more

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I came here with a few of my friends on a weeknight and we were the only ones in there. It was an awesome experience! The staff was very helpful! Everyone's mermaids turned out fantastic too! Definitely make a reservation if you plan to come during the summer months. If you are a local just come during the off season. You can bring your own beverages and cups. We definitely enjoyed wine with our projects. read more

Mermaid Factory - I feel so crafty! - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Great place for adults and children this brings out your inner artist In a fun way. The worker was really kind and gave thorough instructions read more

Mermaid Factory - Mermaid - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

My husband and I often meet here after work for the happy hour specials. The mermaid tacos and mermaid fries are delicious, and I highly recommend the hibiscus mimosa with edible flower inside (yum!!!). read more

This was so much fun. Perfect activity for 3 grown sisters. Me and my other sister from Florida came to visit our sister and she scheduled this for us. We laughed and had the best time picking out the perfect items to put on our mermaids. Thank you Mermaid Factory for the memory I will have with my sisters. read more

Mermaid Factory - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Loved this place! Stopped by with my sister who was visiting. It was such a "Norfolk" thing to make and I'm really happy my sister got to bring a piece of Norfolk home! We called ahead and let them know what time we were coming. When we arrived everything was set up and ready to go. The staff introduced us to the studio and gave us really simple to follow instructions. They checked up on us to make sure we were okay and were very helpful! I was inspired by all the mermaid decor and the pre-made Norfolk mermaids! It was such a lovely and welcoming place to create art. I would recommend this place to Norfolk locals, Norfolk visitors - to everyone really! It's a must-see, must-do. read more

We live within 3 blocks we have tried to visit this location twice now. The first time we called and asked if they had happy hour, super rude on the phone. We decided to go somewhere else. Now tonight we try to go again and they are "closed" for a private event. I guess they make their own hours... read more

The bf and his sisters took their mother here for her birthday. They enjoyed themselves 100%. read more

Mermaid Factory - Finish product - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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I am in love with this place. My girlfriends recently held a surprise birthday party for me at Mermaid Factory and I could not have asked for a better day. Its like one of those places you paint pottery, sans the pots and kiln. Its Mermaids only. They have paint, glitter, sand, rocks, shells, moss, you name it, they have it so you can customize your own undersea princess. Everything dries extremely fast, so you walk away with your mermaid the same day, in a nice box, packaged perfectly. My friends were able to set up a table with hor d'oeuvres, cake, WINE and we had our own little private party while letting our creativity flow. Its $22 per person. All the extras are about $.50-$1.00 each so you end up spending about $30 after its all said and done. I loved the way mine turned out and since I am slightly obsessed with mermaids, I will probably go back to paint and add to my collection. The girls that worked there were really helpful and its in Ghent, so ill take any excuse to spend time in that neighborhood. Not only did I walk away with a fantastic piece of my own art, but I bought a few pieces of mermaid memorabilia for my daughter and Christmas tree. They sell REALLY cute stuff! Absolutely recommend this place if you have nothing to do or want something different to entertain. read more

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I took my goddaughter here as a birthday date. We came on a weekday right after she got out of school so it wasn't too busy. The lady working there did warn us that reservations are still the best way to go. Lucky for us, we got a table to ourselves and got set up to start painting a mermaid. The studio fee includes the mermaid, paint, and glitter. There weren't any limitations on how many colors to use so my goddaughter went to town with the painting. The paint you get to use is really forgiving so I got to help make my goddaughter's mermaid look even better. I somehow also got to put glitter on the mermaid since I'm sure my 5 year old goddaughter would have covered the entire thing AND got glitter all over me anyways. But that wasn't enough for her, we also hot glued some colored shells and she added a tutu to her mermaid. Note: the colored shells cost 10 cents a piece - I totally limited the amount of shells she could put it on it, naturally. My goddaughter had a blast and she couldn't stop raving about it to her sisters. I was really glad she got to take it home immediately to show it off instead of having to wait like when you go to those pottery places. I really want to go back and make a mermaid myself. read more

Mermaid Factory - 5 year old goddaughter's mermaid creation - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

I had an amazing experience. I was initially worried because crafty stations have ended up being quite expensive in the past. However, a friend and I were there and stayed for about two hours and never felt rushed. We got our 10 oz of free wine (of which we had three options) and had a great time! There are a lot of great little additives you can include. They only charge for what you end up using, not what you take off the shelves. We paid $12 and $13 for each of our experiences! (We went the wooden ornament/magnet route). A tip for others is to have fun with the glitter (because it looks great) but also to keep the wine away from the glitter. I definitely drank some read more

Mermaid Factory - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Fantastic day at the mermaid factory! I really enjoyed my first visit and plan to do another around Christmas! Painting mermaids is fun! Staff was very informative and gave great instructions. One tip. Make sure that you make reservations for your party. The Facility is not large and the business gets quite busy. While at the location we were told they recently opened another location in Virginia Beach. Thanks again for an enjoyable day! read more

Mermaid Factory - My mermaid!! - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Mermaid Factory is a must for crafty folks, tourists, mermaid lovers and more! I have been there twice and enjoyed my experience immensely both times! Here's how it works: You choose whether you want to do a mermaid or dolphin (VA Beach mascot) and what size. You are then free to start crafting your masterpiece! The paint is clearly numbered so you don't forget which shade you used and all materials are provided for you. There are some items that have additional costs such as additional items to add to your mermaid/dolphin or to the stand but these costs are very minimal (under $1.00). Some of the other materials provided include gems, tulle, glitter, glass, sand, twine and much more! Once you are completely finished, staff will help you with adding a tulle skirt if you want it as well as fix it into the base. Staff is also available to help you during your creating as needed! I think that the Mermaid Factory is very well priced, offers endless options allowing you to be your own artist and create how you'd like, its kid-friendly, fun and great for group outings! I highly encourage you to visit them and consider making a reservation beforehand especially if you are going with a larger group! Happy creating! read more

Loved it! Staff great and taking all of the Covid precautions!!! Was my first time there and I look forward to going back!! read more

Mermaid Factory - My first Mermaid at mermaid factory!!! Loved the experience!!! - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

This place is enjoyable. Expensive for what it is, but still fun! We had made reservations beforehand, which is the way to go if you're really gung-ho about doing this. A lot of people trickled in to paint without reservations and the place is so tiny (only 4 or 5 little tables), it filled up fast and I overheard folks being turned away because they were full and could not accept more customers until later in the evening. We spent about one hour and 45 minutes painting our mermaids. You have up to two hours per reservation to finish your project. They have ample paints, glitter, gems, stickers, and more items to decorate your mermaid or dolphin figurine. They also have take-home kits, but honestly, at that point, you might as well just go to the craft store and buy your own "take-home kit" for half the price of what it would cost here. Part of the fun is the experience of painting in the shop surrounded by mermaid memorabilia (which is all available for purchase, of course!). They have pre-painted mermaids displayed that can help provide inspiration, or you can take one of these home (for a cost) if you don't feel like painting. Be warned that not everything is included in the price of painting, some items (like sea shells) can be added, but with an up-charge. If you really want that sea shell base, consider picking up a shell for free on the beach and gluing it on yourself afterwards. read more

The mermaid factory is FUN FUN FUN. If you have an artistic bone in your body, check this place out - it's a ton of fun! We did a walk in for three people on the 4th and were very fortunate that we were able to just sit right down and get to it. Its a very economical venture as well. Sand, glitter and paint included in price and other little knick knacks are pay as you go. Very reasonable. I'm not going to repeat what others have said because as you can see from the reviews this place really KICKS a$$. That said, please enjoy our creations. read more

Mermaid Factory - My fancy mermaid - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Ok so my original experience caused me to leave a lower rating however after conversing with the owner he offered a chance for my family to come back and get the full experience. That alone says volumes for his business and we appreciated the opportunity. We returned to the same location and this time with our daughters 7 year old cousin. We all painted (4 of us) and we had a blast. Having access to so many creative items really was much better than a take home kit. The girl who coincidentally was the worker that we had an original issue with, was very sweet and helpful. We painted 3 dolphins and a mermaid and the girls had a blast. As parents not having to stress about home cleanup was nice. Also the access to different types of brushes really helped. Also there was nice music playing and we were given two small glasses of wine which came with the whole experience. This is definitely a fun unique way to spend an evening or afternoon. We found that with children around 8 years old their attention span wandered after about 55 minutes, but they had fun looking at all the mermaid stuff while we finished our paintings. Great redemption and thank you to the owner, we will be back! read more

The Mermaid Factory is the one stop shop for all the fin things! The studio fee is $25 and includes: base (stand) + mermaid + paint + sand/glitter. Parties of 8+ can do a session for $20! All other props such as seashells and gems are of extra cost. The mermaids are plaster made so it dries fairly quick and ready to take home day of! It's an interactive experience for all ages and there is also an option to paint dolphins! Tapping into a creative outlet is definitely therapeutic especially if you pair it with wine & food! The mermaids are not only pretty for display but they are functional! Use yours as a jewelry holder to drape your necklaces and bracelets, a friend of mine used hers as a prop for a pirate/mermaid themed party, save it as a keepsake or give it as a gift! Nobody represents Norfolk better than mermaids! read more

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4/5 only because there wasn't a lot of information about the store. On Yelp the store is called the Mermaid Factory and in a publication found at the Visitor's Center, the store is called the Mermaid Store. We were in the area and figured we would stop in. There are "mermaid" items to purchase but this is not the main focus of the "Factory." The young girl in the store welcomed us with a smile, we looked around for a few minutes, and then waved goodbye. read more

It was my first time there and we were celebrating my cousins 30th bday! The place was cute and small. They can hold a group session for any occasion. If you have 6+ people in your party it's $20 per person. Less than 6 it's $25. They provide the object to paint which is a mermaid or a dolphin, they provide the paint, glitter, and other accessories (fees may apply to other extravagant accessories). They also have other mermaids that have been made already all painted and dressed up for sale too. The thing about this place is that you can be creative and show your personality through how you represent your work. The owner or employee was very helpful and provided all the tools we needed for our lil party shindig. She was very professional and kind in us staying a lil later after the shop was closed. I would recommend this place for any ladies celebration or occasion, and also to men! ;) lol read more

Had my kiddo's 11th birthday celebration. The girls had fun. I was offered a wine, despite not participating. They offer you 2 small servings per person. The paint & fine glitter are included in the price, all the other extras are extra. The girls added a tutu, a bottle, some shells & rocks. You have a 2 1/2 hours to create your piece. They have all sorts pre painted mermaids for sale to help your creative juices flowing. They have all sorts of mermaid & beachy knick knacks for sale. They also have a poster of painted mermaids on the wall near the paint station with different themes. If you have a boy or you just aren't feeling the mermaid, they offer dolphins instead. They also offer mermaid paint kits to go as a cool gift idea. I enjoyed the experience & highly recommend it. read more

Mermaid Factory - Kiddo painting for her 11th bday party. My complimentary wine. - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Came in today with my wifey for the first time. The place is awesome and there are so many options to choose from to customize your mermaid or dolphin. The girl working was super nice and helpful. She did not rush us at all and it was a really relaxing experience. Definitely will go back! read more

Mermaid Factory - Wife made a traditional mermaid. - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Walked in a little after 4pm for a date with my daughter. The woman said the last seating is at 3. For somewhere that advertises hours "open until 6" *and I checked business card & website for "seating times"* I don't understand why I was turned away. It doesn't take a toddler 2 hours to paint, and I'm not sure it would take 3 hours to clean up a little studio. We will just take our business elsewhere. SUGGESTION: if you're going to have your " seating times", you need to advertise it so you don't waste peoples time coming to your studio. read more

A group of 4 of us went to the Mermaid factory on Laskin Road and we had a great time! The hostess was very accommodating and explained everything thoroughly when showing us the steps to complete our paintings. We will definitely return to do more painting!! read more

This is definitely a fun, creative environment to have a blast with your girlfriends! I would highly recommend this business with no doubt. Check it out with your friends and make some #GoodMemories read more

Mermaid Factory - Chloe, the owner, was awesome @mermaidfactory! She was even kind enough to rate my mermaid #GoodTimesWithFriends - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

What a great experience!!! My friends took me here for my Bachelorette party. I had a blast. I love mermaids do I am a little biased. The staff was so friendly and helpful. They even put on a special 2000's playlist for us to paint to. They had so many paints, ribbons, gems, glitter, etc. Did i mention the glitter!!! The idea is so great especially if you love arts and crafts as well as mermaids as I do! You are able to design and decorate either a mermaid or a dolphin. I opted to decorate a mermaod to look like my wedding look. The prices are pretty reasonable, but can get pricey if you don't pay attention to the extra cost of each ribbon, gem, sand, etc. They also have many premade crafts for sale such as magnets, ornaments, and dor hangings. Overall this was a great experience and I will definitely be going again! read more

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This was my favorite place to visit! The staff was so helpful and friendly. There are a lot of mermaid gifts and souvenirs you can find here that you can't find anywhere else. And the prices are very affordable. You can sit down and paint your own Norfolk Mermaid or you can purchase a kit To Go which comes with your choice of 8 paints and glitters for just $25, or $20 without paint. I highly recommend this for a little girls party! I loved this place so much and I will stop in again the next time I visit this area. read more

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If you are in this area this place is a must for all ages!! I do not consider myself to have any artistic talents or skills but I had a blast and my mermaid came turned out beautiful!! Jessica and Amber were super friendly and helpful. I plan on returning to create another memorable masterpiece read more

This place is great to make a memory! No need to be great at painting. There are a ton of colors to choose from for painting and a ton of cool little accessories to add to your mermaid to dress it up! There are also dolphins to paint for people who do not want a mermaid. Super fun atmosphere and the staff was very friendly and helpful! This is great for out-of-towners and people who may be moving away to take something with them as well! :) definitely recommend going and making one of your own! read more

So much fun! Great for a party! The girls we had helping were great. Very friendly staff. Our mermaids turned out beautiful read more

Mermaid Factory - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Will definitely be back again! So many choices and options, one mermaid isn't enough :) read more

Mermaid Factory - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Been here before and loved it so I decided to bring my friend to paint one. It was on a Wednesday night, so after reading on their website that reservations are encouraged on weekends, I figured we'd be fine. Well the place was full until closing with reservations. Which was fine, until we got attitude and a snide lecture on making reservations. To which I responded what the website said, again I don't know wtf the attitude was for since we were bummed but not angry about the place not being able to take us. Word to the wise worker with the shitty attitude... you have a job because customers pay, no customers no job. Super disappointed with the staff members crappy attitude. read more