We noticed Universal Toys a few times while driving in the area so we wanted to check it out…read more If you drive coming from Magnolia you might be able to park in their lot passed the store connected to the sidewalk. You might miss it since first time around it's harder to spot. But there's street parking. The store is big, not huge, clean, cool decorated with great posters and fun displays. It is enjoyable to browse, many toys and collectibles, some a tad too new. Prices vary, from reasonable to more expensive, based on the items, it makes sense. This isn't a store just for children although they have regular toys. For collectors, not the coolest items ever, but worth checking out. Nice customer service. Great to see a newer small business on Glenoaks!

Universal Classic Toys is a nearly daily trek for my son and I. The family that owns the store is…read morevery sweet. They know us by name, and frequently ask about what's new with us. As frequently as we're there, it's easy to pick out toys for our kids for birthdays and holidays. Usually, our oldest finds something he likes and plays with it every time we go in. We know that's a winner and save up to buy it for the next holiday or birthday. So far, we've picked up a vintage Disney Trivia for mom, a Little People Batman play set, numerous little cars, and Rex from Toy Story. Up next will undoubtedly be something from Pixar's Cars franchise.

Great selection of model kits (I'm a Gundam dude), great price range, great selection of tools,…read morepaint, etc. Staff are amazing, super friendly and helpful. I don't see myself going to any other shops that BHH. The downside is: I CAN'T STOP BUYING KITS AND TOOLS! :) On a more serious note, I would recommend BHH to any collector, beginner or seasoned!

Although Burbank's House of Hobbies is obviously is better than most hobby shops (and for many, it…read moreis the best), it was limited for my interests (monster kit modeling, unusual kit modeling). I was interested in the shop, but found that many of the modeling kits had been sold out and never restock. Perhaps the manufacturer simply stopped producing the kits. Maybe not. Either way, I wouldn't know. All I know is that these kits are eternally out-of-stock. After a while, I simply gave up looking, and because of such, gave up interest in the shop.

What a gem!!! At first it looked like just a kids book store but it isn't. There is a section for…read moreadults with different genres, Classics, YA with different genres, and then lots of children's choices. They also have plenty of stickers, note books, pens, pencils, and all kinds of goodies. This store is curated to perfection. It may be small but it is mighty. I wanted half the stuff I looked at! Wonderful wonderful selections. Props to whoever does the curating. I left with a notebook, two books, and a bookmark. Very Queer friendly as well! Staff were so amazing! Amazing store.

Oh my goodness... how have I not left a review this place? (Forgive me!)…read more This is hands down the best bookstore ever! The store and its staff are all amazing. Pippi the cat is the friendliest and softest cat you'll ever meet--literally the most perfect bookshop kitty! The selection of children's book is wonderful. The store is incredibly inviting to children and adults alike. There are a ton of events for kids as well as book clubs for adults. (I've gone to an adult book club meeting and had the pleasure of meeting wonderful people!) the store also carries a ton of signed editions which makes book buying even more special! They also have jellycat stuffed animals which are so cute and soft! It's a great place to buy books and gifts. There is plenty of free parking in the lot behind the store in the public parking area, as well as metered parking right out front.

While shopping for mofusand toys online, my search lead me to Top Canvas. For those of you who love…read moretoys and collectibles, this store offers a wide variety of merchandise. Located on the corner of Main Street and Garfield Ave, it is a great place to visit while going for a stroll in the heart of downtown Alhambra. Plenty of great eateries and cinemas in the vicinity as well. A free parking garage is conveniently accessible right behind the shop, in addition to street parking. Although the shop is small, they were able to feature hundreds of items without it being overwhelming. As a newbie to the current line of collectibles, Top Canvas serves as a great introduction to the new trend. As I walked in, a young woman politely greeted me and offered me assistance. Upon request, she promptly directed me to the Mofusand plushies and a wall of keychains. She took down the plushies from the shelves, so I could take a good look at all of them. And then, I spotted one very adorable Hello Kitty plushie holding a strawberry which totally makes a great Valentine's Day gift. For less than twenty bucks, I quickly secured my choice and went on to explore the rest of the shop. The average prices range from $9.99 to $29.99, so you can build up your collections without breaking the bank. Top Canvas is a great place for buying gifts on a budget, as they offer so many cute things for under $20. I also purchased 2 Lokiki blind box plushies as gifts. The gift recipient seems to love it, because it's always fun to open up a blind box. She totally adores her Lokiki plushie. Without a doubt, the highlight of my visit is the wall of Mofusand keychains! At $9.99 each, big or small, these are just too darn cute to pass up. I want them all!! Some of the more expensive and fragile collectibles are showcased behind glass. Great for avid collectors!! Tired of shopping on Amazon like me?? Then support your local business and come to Top Canvas. It's so much more fun to go shopping at a brick-and-mortar store where one can actually physically feel and touch what they're buying.

Top Canvas is one of many collectible stores in Alhambra and this store specializes in various…read moreblind boxes, anime figures, and plushies. There is a free public parking structure behind the store. Some of their blind boxes are slightly cheaper than same boxes at other similar collectible stores. The anime selection is above average and there's a giant Capsule Corp background (from Dragon Ball) and a giant Luffy figure (from One Piece) to take pictures with. The One Piece trading card vending machine was out of service at the time of my visit. This is one of those stores that is great to at least stop by for those who are into anime or Sanrio plushies. Personally, I still prefer Ebisu Life Store a bit better. P.S. - Due to limited availability of pennies, cash totals are rounded to the nearest $0.05.

Miracle Mile Toys & Gifts is a neighborhood toy store that mostly sells toys for babies and kids…read more Visitors will find toys like puzzles, stuffed animals, toy trains, Perfect Petzzz, wooden toys from Plan Toys and Tender Leaf, dolls, BRIO trains, etc. This is the shop for parents who are looking for quality toys and are not overly worried about price tags. P.S. - Metered parking only, but this part of Miracle Mile is not very busy so I had no issue finding an available spot on Saturday afternoon.

This is a late, but important review! We were invited to my child's classmate's birthday party in…read moreearly October. We didn't know the family or child well, only that he was turning four and has an older brother. I purposely wanted to shop local and support an independent business, and a quick search on Yelp led me here. We arrived about an hour before closing on Saturday, which was great because parking meters end at 4pm and we found parking out front easily. We were greeted by an employee behind the desk as we walked in. She asked if there was anything she could help us find, and I let her know we were first time customers looking for a birthday gift with the details mentioned above. She let us know the layout of the store, her suggestions, but let us look freely. Over time more customers arrived with small children, and received the same courteous service. The store is clean and curated. I appreciated seeing well made toys and items inspiring imaginative play, rather than cheap plastic with distracting lights or sounds. I eventually chose a doctor play set as well as some items for my own children, such as animal figures and stamp markers. They offer free gift wrapping, which is a nice touch. The one alarming fact that stood out is that there were many empty storefronts on their block, so it's more important than ever to support our local economy. Their prices reflect investment in well made items, so I would not come here expecting big box store deals. In a world full of Target and Amazon, I would rather spend my money supporting a local, independent business. We had a great experience here and will definitely be back with our kids this holiday season.

I am a Hot Wheels collector. I discovered this store by accident when hanging out with my friend. I…read morenoticed some toys from the windows. I decided to visit the store the next day. When I entered I was instantly greeted by an employee. Inside the store you will find a great selection of toys. I feel like there is something for anyone inside this store. Lego's? They got it. Dolls? They got it. Luckily for me there was a hot wheels section. There is plenty of cars to choose from. I would definitely buy from there again.

I was so excited to bring my kids to StockCalifornia, but unfortunately our visit was very…read moredisappointing. From the moment we walked in, my family and I felt ignored and unwelcome. The employee at the register appeared irritated and uninterested in helping us. Shortly after we entered, she went into the back room and did not return until we were ready to check out. We then had to wait several minutes for her to come back to the register. There was no greeting, no offer of assistance, and when we asked questions, the responses were short and dismissive. The overall atmosphere made us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome throughout our visit. As a family of color, the experience left us questioning whether we were being treated differently. I cannot speak to the employee's intentions, but I can say that we did not feel valued or respected as customers.

Come here when I am looking for gifts and a fun shopping experience…read more Walked in today looking for a niche toy, they didn't have it. But Alan recommended 3 local stores where I could probably find it. And I did!!! Customer service doesn't get more top notch than that. Alan was my hero of the day.

If this is your type of thing, this place is awesome! Even if you're not down w this culture, it's…read moreprobably still worth your time to go check it out and see what they offer. They have a little bit of everything for the collectors of these type of proclivities. So many interesting things to browse, buy or just enjoy the vast collection of FUN they have in stock. The place is immaculate, and the staff is pleasant and very fluent in the background and information of all their stock. They love what they do and it shows.

Collector's Paradise is more or less a classic comic book shop featuring new and backissues,…read moregraphic novels, posters, pins, and many other things. The emphasis, though, is primarily new and recent comics. Passing through on a rainy afternoon I was pleased to find its location is near a few important stops in Pasadena, and there's some parking available in the private lot. I was mostly there to check out the selection and see if they specialized in anything unique. Not to say they don't, but it's still a well-stocked store. I was the only customer and enjoyed the classic jazz playing in the background. Pro Tip: Most established comic shops have subscription plans paid annually, or one-time up front. A customer goes through Comic Book Geek to pick their titles and sometimes preferred cover art, and the shop pulls their requests and holds them until the customer picks up the stash.

Today was another visit to the best comic book store in LA! I came in on May 24th around 2pm for…read morefree comic book day promotion to pick up some graphic novels. Its a great feeling to see people in there shopping for comics and having the same interest. What's great about Collector's Paradise is that they celebrate free comic book day for the entire month of May with great deals and sales to take advantage of. Continue the good work.