I frequent Pygmy Hippo often, it's a neighborhood staple and a spot of joy for myself and my husband who are constantly getting one another (and others) cards. We bought our Felix the Cat clock here as well as many other birthday/holiday gifts for our friends and family. There isn't another store like it and the owner works so hard to make her shop a friendly and fun place to be in. You'll find things you never knew you needed or maybe even something that makes you smile or laugh. Love Pygmy Hippo forever! read more

Even though I have moved away from LA, Pygmy Hippo Shoppe is still my go-to place for gifts. The items are so fun and unique. Making sure a gift has meaning and is special is very important to me, and that is why I will seek out Pygmy for all my special occasions! Plus, Emi is a rockstar!! And Nate, too!! read more

Emmy is the BEST! This shop is a must if you are in the Fairfax area, visting LA, wanting an adventure, needing a last minute gift, or maybe even a pep talk. Grab a coffee at Andante and go chat with Emmy at Pygmy Hippo and leave carrying a locally made scarf, a vintage card, and a kitty clock. Worth it every time :) read more

Pygmy Hippo Shoppe - the best scarf! - Jewelry Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Love this place! Walked in to get a friend a bday gift and ended up with a cool unique antique gift! At a great price too. Will definitely be shopping here more in the future. read more

By far one of the most magical gift shops ever, they carry the most thoughtful gifts and they truly curated every piece in their store, I got my friend a last minute birthday gift and she absolutely loved it!! Highly recommend!! read more

This is the cutest shop! They have the best cards and goodies - I always find so many fun things!

I don't know how to put into words how much I love this shop and spending time inside it. The owner, Emmy, is a delight and a treasure trove of information about the contents of her shop and kitschy LA history. I always leave with fun treasures for myself and others, and feeling more connected to weird, wonderful Los Angeles. From unique greeting cards and gift wrap to vintage ephemera, there's truly something for everyone. Don't sleep on this place, it's just the best. read more

I was helped by someone named Emma, and she was wonderful. She had excellent suggestions that were spot-on for the friend for whom I was buying a gift. The environment was fantastic, including great music. After buying an antique booklet, I searched online and found the price I paid was more than friendly and worthwhile. read more

The best store ever! So many treasures packed into such a tiny space and so well curated! I've never walked out out of their empty-handed

Amazing customer service and the best gift shop in the Fairfax area. The most unique gifts for every occasion. Also the candles smell great and the clothes are super cute. read more

The best hidden gem in town. The BEST place for any kind of event card. Totally original, beautiful, vintage and new. It's my favorite for fun and unique gifts. read more

REAL TALK: One of my favorite animals is the hippo, so the name of this boutique definitely caught my eye to check out in our last trip out to LA! Pygmy Hippo is a super small independently-owned and -operated boutique that really curates the very best in vintage curios, handmade gifts, various books, and amazing decor - I really can't imagine how they're able to find and procure all the awesome items they have! From stickers, jewelry, glasses, and knick-knacks, to collectables, posters, and salt-and-pepper shakers, this store is pure heaven for those who are collectors or who are in need of finding a unique gift for others (or for oneself!)! I found some cute buttons and patches and fun greeting cards; I have my eye (still) on the vintage salt & pepper fruit bowl, but was a bit apprehensive in taking such a delicate item on the plane. The staff here was very welcoming and friendly; while it's a 'tight' space, there's more than enough room around to take in all their selections; there is no rush, and you are able to peruse at your leisure. A great little gem! +perfectly curated vintage items +friendly staff! read more

What a cute little vintage-inspired shop! I'm so glad my friend brought me there. It's small but cozy. Friendly person working, possibly the owner? Very attentive. Such cute gifts and card and ornaments for the holidays. If you are in the area, you've got to check it out if you're into some vintage decor and toys! read more

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I wasn't expecting such a cozy little shop to be bursting at the seams with goodies but it was! Emi is a gem and everything sold is well curated and tasteful. It's a great spot to find cool home decor/trinkets/greeting cards/clothes and more! I got a poster, a greeting card, and an "F UCLA" button (for context, I go to UCLA and think I'm funny). Emi spent a good 15 minutes chatting with us and was so helpful! I told her I planned to glue the button onto a magnet so that I could stick it on my fridge and she stuck a magnet on there for me! I'm definitely coming back. All in all, the place is definitely worth your while. There's something for everybody here! read more

Pygmy Hippo Shoppe - Jewelry Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This tiny little shop is packed with tons of cool, quirky, and fun items! Feeling overwhelmed with so many options? Grab a mystery bag! You won't be disappointed! I love love love it here! read more

Pygmy Hippo Shoppe - Mystery Bag $18 (plus tax) - Jewelry Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This is my go to shop for presents!! It's the cutest lil place and she always has THE most unique things. All my friends love their presents from here. read more

Everything about this place, the service, the selections, the design of the store itself, all magical. Emmy who runs the shop sources the most incredible, eclectic and largely vintage selection of items, hilarious cards, jewelry, and novelty items. She's so wonderful, sweet, knowledgeable, and generous. I can't recommend the store enough, everything here is so special and genuinely usable. I got a joint holder ring that I use everyday (speaks to my habits). Emmy is witchlike in the best way, and you will be enchanted by her store. read more

Pygmy Hippo Shoppe is a neighborhood gem, filled with unique gifts, one of a kind greeting cards, and the most fun vibe of any gift store I've eve been in. Located just off of Beverly on Stanley, walking into this tiny store is a small eureka moment: you've found a special store. The window display says it all. Do yourself a favor the next time you need a unique gift or a one of a kind greeting card - come amble down Beverly, make a quick right(or left as the case may be) and discover this store. read more

Pygmy Hippo is awesome! They have a really cool assortment of unique greeting cards and gifts (an assortment of both new and vintage of the latter), plus owner Emmy is super nice, PLUS they are dog-friendly. Bonus points for the fact they're located right next to Potato Chips Deli aka some of my favorite sandwiches in town! read more

Pygmy Hippo is a jewel box of vintage + eclectic deliciousness. It's my favorite place to shop in LA. There's simply something magic about buying + giving gifts that come from there. And the magic comes from Emi. Speaking of delicious - she's the goddess of all things fabulous. Along with her protégé, Jordan, the Pygmy Hippo Experience will leave you happy. I promise. read more

A friend sent me here when I mentioned I needed a greeting card. I live near this shop and cannot believe that I'd never been in before... this place is AWESOME. And Emmy was a gem. At first glance you might assume that the items inside are thoughtless tchotchkes but that couldn't be further from the truth. Every single thing from the decor to the items for sale are meticulously curated. And yes, best greeting cards in town. Very into this place and will return often. read more

the cutest gift store !! so many interesting knick knacks for friends, family, and yourself ;-) plus the store owner is very helpful and knowledgeable! the mystery bag is definitely be worth the price tag with all the goodies you get. read more

My friend's home is covered in tons of color. On the way to meet up with another friend I knew what shop she would love...the Pygmy Hippo Shoppe was a definite must!! The words "Taste the Rainbow" come to mind!! This shop is tiny. A literal hole in the wall. We squeezed in and quickly went to town. We were like two Tasmanian devils whirring around picking stuff from all corners!!! Emi, the shop owner was charming and her outfit was soooo cute! I wanted to put her in my pocket!! Every detail of this shop was a grown up "little girl's" dream!!! There was pink Felix the Cat clocks with eyelashes! There's mushroom jars, original quirky art, witch finger necklaces!! We wanted it all and it was close. Perfect place for fun jewelry, original art or prints, bright nail polish, toys, one of a kind cards and tons more! The wall paper was very interesting! It was a vintage looking Venus fly trap! Emi explained that you could see the tiny ants crawling around. The wall paper designer is from Katie Deedy's GrowHouseGrow an ode to the botanist Mary Treat. Emi I love your Wonderland! I believe you said it's expanding. I hope so. This place needs room for all to visit but especially me! Ha! Keep up the good work! I will be drooling over your Instagram from NY! read more

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Tiny eclectic gift shop with an emphasis on tiny! They just added a space in the back that show cases art. The Ann Shen Bad Girl show is on view now and it is super fun along with a collection of vintage lunch pails. Great place to grab a cool little birthday gift. read more

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A little magic jewel box of a shop! Beautifully decorated, filled with one-of-a-kind items, unusual vintage curiosities and independent artist-made goods. A fantastic mix. If you're looking for something special that you won't find anywhere else, GO HERE. The owner is delightful and sweet with a golden eye for things. A destination-worthy shop. EDIT: I have to say I love Emi even more after reading the one-star review for lustily kicking out an obviously entitled hipster mom who refused to keep her child away from the breakables. read more

A really fun and unique gem. I believe it was the owner who assisted me and was super helpful. Definitely will be back!

Emi's store is a true magical treasure box! Her store is carefully curated with unique items and her attention to detail is out of this world! I wanted everything in her store! read more

My best friend and I came in here after finding it on yelp. Although the store is small, there is a lot of really amazing and fun stuff available. The browsing experience, to me, is the best thing about shopping, so this shop definitely met my expectations. We both ended up purchasing a few things and had an awesome time talking to the very helpful and nice employee Definitely come check this place out! read more

Pygmy Hippo is a teeny, tiny magical store where you can find the perfect gift for any of your crushes and boos. From handmade accessories and one-of-a-kind cards to vintage books and antique toys, anything you pick up there will make you or the person you give it to feel very special. Everything in the store is charming, from the details in the decor, the merchandise and even its owner, Emi who could usually be recognized behind the counter from the big bow in her hair. It's definitely a place that you have to experience yourself, pictures and words don't do this whimsical little place justice. Something about the store makes you feel really happy. My baby nephew didn't want to leave and threw a tantrum! read more

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Even though we are from San Diego, we have forcefully adopted Emi against her will as our L.A. daughter. You will love this Pygmy Hippo shop. You will always walk out with more than you came with, because even if you don't purchase an item, you will leave knowing that beautiful, caring, and kind people can be found in even the tiniest little corner shops in the world. Your Island family, the T's! read more

I used to love this shop but will not be back. I received a sweater as a Christmas present which was bought early December. I didn't receive it until Christmas (obviously) and when I did I realized it was too small. I reached out to the owner and she said oh sorry I have a 5 day return policy. I should note, I do not live in LA. I am in Arizona. How was I supposed to return it within 5 days if I didn't get it until 3 weeks after it was purchased? I didn't even want a refund. I asked for credit. I would have happily returned the unworn sweater to purchase something else in store. The owner even tried to get me to reach out to the small local artist that made the sweater to see if I could return it to her since she won't take it back in her store. Disgusting. When I emailed her back promptly she took 10 days to respond to me. Which apparently is fine and we are all on her clock. In the end, I will never shop here again and will tell my friends and relatives to not buy me gifts from here. I will note, the products are great but I will now be seeking out the actual artists to just buy from them instead of this store. So absolutely disappointed in the level of customer service I received. 0/5 stars read more

How does this wonderful confection of a shop exist in the heart of Mid-City!? I discovered Pygmy Hippo after spending time nearby at the cafe, and I have become an ADDICT in the years since. Emi and her crew curate a great collection of trinkets, do-dads, jewelry, and art that aren't always necessarily vintage finds, but they are all absolutely wonderful and unique. PH is the perfect spot to grab a precious gift for a friend or loved one where they'll be begging to know "WHERE DID YOU GET THIS!?" Oh, and the price points are amazing!! ESPecially for the location!! read more

I loved this neighborhood store. Great cards, clothes, and trinkets. My favorite thing is the selection of awesome wrapping paper you won't find anywhere else. The owner is great, it's always a pleasure to talk with her. Check this place out! read more

Super Cute! We literally came in here for one item and left so this review will be short and sweet! It's literally a hole in the wall so if you blink you will miss it. The decor is super cute and vintage. The sales associate was very nice and helpful. I saw a really adorable lipstick pen that I wanted to buy but after trying out a couple, I noticed they wouldn't write which kinda sucked. This place is extremely tiny so if you're planning on going in with more than 2 people, good luck! There were 4 of us total in there today including the cashier and I felt claustrophobic. Overall, they have a lot of creative trinkets in there and is totally worth checking out if you're in the area and just want to do some shopping for interesting gifts. I hope this review helps you decide on where to find some trinkets! read more

I literally never write Yelp reviews but this is perhaps the best gift shop on the face of the earth, and Emi the owner is the absolute sweetest. I have found the perfect gifts here for just about every friend and family member of mine for the holidays and beyond. True mom and pop vibes, the perfect amount of kitschy, old school charm with unique offerings. GO GO GO! read more

This is my favorite shop in LA. Adorable, carefully curated collection of kitschy vintage goodies. I never fail to find an adorable gift when I stop in. The staff is super sweet, especially the owner. Every time she is there when I come in I feel like I'm shopping with a fun friend! read more

There's now a second room, displaying different artists work - AND a photobooth. It's a charming addition. Plus, get on their mailing list, as they have lots of showcases, workshops, parties, etc. read more

Pygmy Hippo Shoppe - Holiday photobooth! Free to email, $ to print. - Jewelry Near Me - Los Angeles, California

What a gem of a store. One of a kind gifts and Knick knacks. My secret go to spot for unique shopping!!

love love love this teeny shop! I'm not kidding...it's teeny. Located right across the street from the dreaded Grove, this is worth the trip into traffic and parking hell. The girl that runs this shop is so awesome. She sold me some bday gifts, a candle to satisy my hippo obsession and picked a lunch spot for me and my hunny. We also bonded over our bulldogs! Fun kawaii stuff, jewelry, zines and art. Love it here! read more

Awesome little shop(pe) right on Beverly (near The Grove). I love Pygmy Hippos, and when I drove by this shop one day, I was immediately sucked in from its total cuteness! I came in here to look for a gift for my friends b-day. I ended up getting a really cute necklace, and a card. This place is small, so you can't really come in here looking for something specific, just anything cute! Check it out if you're in the neighborhood, it is soo adorable. Just note, if you see someone in the shoppe (other than the woman behind the counter), you may want to wait a moment. This tincy little place is quite small, it is only comfortable for one person at a time :) read more