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.

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.

Sega Pop-Up Shop @ Anime Jungle…read more I had a great time checking out the Sega Pop-Up Shop in Little Tokyo at Anime Jungle! The pop-up runs through August, and while the main focus is Sonic the Hedgehog, they also have merch from Persona and Yakuza. Going on a weekday with a friend was definitely the right move--we only had to wait a few minutes to get in. Upon entering, staff hands you a ticket, and employees closely monitor the room while you browse. The shop is exceptionally well-organized, making it fun to look through all the beautiful, high-quality items. Since almost everything is directly imported from Japan and hard to find in the U.S., the prices are definitely on the higher side, but the exclusivity makes it worth it. I couldn't resist picking up a miniature Shadow the Hedgehog plush! The only downside to the visit was the customer service at checkout. The two employees at the register were busy chatting with each other, so I eventually had to speak up to ask if I could check out. The employee who rang me up seemed annoyed by the interruption, skipped any friendly greetings or questions about my visit, and just handed over my item after scanning it. Despite that brief hiccup at the counter, the overall experience was super positive. It was so fun wearing my Sonic shirt, seeing all the Japanese exclusive merchandise, and taking in the atmosphere. I highly recommend swinging by before it closes at the end of the month!

Great selection but employees need a major adjustment…read more Stopped in shortly before closing to make a purchase and was told there was a $10 minimum for tap payments, since I had forgotten my wallet. No problem--I started looking for another item to add since I was planning to spend more anyway. As they started to announce the store was closing, I asked if I could quickly grab cash from a friend outside the store and was asked, "Can you do it in 3 minutes?" This same associate was managing the customers going in to the store and she seemed to have issues remembering people's faces. I understand the store was closing, but the interaction felt rushed and unwelcoming. I was still trying to make a purchase and likely would have bought additional items, but after being treated like an inconvenience, I decided to leave instead.

I loveeeee this store. It's Amazing!!! They have so many different assortments of all types of…read morecandies. The staff members are very helpful and treat you with kindness. If it weren't for this store I wouldn't have a small business. Thank you Jacks Candy for giving customers the best experience. Loretta's treats

Staff is so helpful from walking in to walking around…read more There's all the candy you can think of here! Parking lot is a little small, but you can usually find a spot. I do recommend coming during the week as I can see it filling up on weekends

Great spot for people watching! And the fried Quesadillas are a MUST!…read more I don't pay for parking, so be patient or just pay

A lot of choices and selections! affordable price!! Service is good and friendly!! A definitely a…read moreplace where you can buy for gifts and events!!! Will visit again and shop!!

Okay, so since my last review this place has turned around 100%…read more The selection of bears and stuffed animals is astounding and the prices are very reasonable. The shop has even included gift boxes and bags, perfect for making gift baskets and bundles. Buy in bulk for bigger savings. Wide assortment of bows and ribbons. Definitely my go to place now for stuffed animals. Check it out!!

Visited today and found exactly what I needed. Called ahead of time and they assured me they'd have…read morebaby boy Baby Shower bears. They are adorable and they were such a great price! Recommend for anyone looking for a stuffed animal.

This is still a cool hobby shop for many people. Whether you are looking for items to build that…read more4th grade mission project or if youre building a car, they have everything. The prices are still decent due to the recent tariffs and whatnot. Service is always nice. There is always someone around to help get you what you need. There is no public restroom, so they told me to go next door to the laundry mat. Parking is street parking, but what ive done is park inside the liquor store parking lot, go inside the store and buy some snacks/drinks/food, and then go into the hobby shop. They offer gift cards in case you dont know what to get for your hobby friend. Trust me, idk what my husband has in his back log so it was easier for me to get him a gift card than to get him something he already has.

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.

Hidden Gem Alert!…read more Attention hobbyists and gift givers: Neo Happyland might just be your new happy place. Circumstances brought me to this unique and fun store that is practically hidden on the first floor of what appeared to be an abandoned mall in Chinatown, the Bamboo Plaza. Had I not known about this store and its location before visiting, I probably would not have entered the plaza. Upon entering, I was immediately greeted by Natalie one of the store owners. I then met with Alan, her husband and co-owner. Both were super personable, friendly and knowledgeable. I overheard them conversing about some of the products with other customers in the store. They really knew their product. The store was jampacked with products from floor to ceiling. I was overwhelmed with how much there was to see. There were so many different model kits to choose from (Pokemon, Bandai, Gundam, etc.). They also had figurines, model paint, books, stickers, Gundam decals, Book Nook and Wonderland items, Pokemon Mini Building Blocks, other building blocks, DVDs and other fun items. Everything was well stocked and neatly organized. I appreciated that most of the items were displayed behind glass so that you could see the actual product vs just looking at the picture on the box. Even though I am an adult, I felt like a kid in a candy store. I did not leave empty-handed. :) If you're looking for a wonderful brick and mortar hobby shop with Asian flair, I highly recommend this shop.

Really Great Store and Hidden Gem I shopped in years every time I visit Los Angeles…read more Staff there is very down to earth and kind. But this store has a variety of selection such as Chogokins, Gunpla, Prize Figs, Construction Kits, Etc... Prices there are very reasonable too, honestly, I prefer going to this store compared to places like Jungle or Robot4Less due to price reasons. I would absolutely recommend this store for those who are in the hobby or starting to get into a hobby.

Very cute stuff and wide selection. Convenient area as well. I like the plushies and blind boxes…read moreThanks!

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.

I'm used to seeing Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle inside malls, so it's neat to have one that's in an…read moreopen shopping plaza. It's definitely one of the bigger ones and it's an interesting mix of items here since the back and side areas also have miscellaneous home goods and kitchen goods too. I think, unfortunately, this shop is horribly targeted by gargantuan amount of theft so they got staff posted everywhere and warning signs as well, so it is what it is. There's a lot of plushies here including those soft mochi mochi sitting animal plushies and anime goods too, including some $5 affordable unique, official Poke'mon magnets. I think, if anything, Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle has the higher ratio of legit items than bootlegs than any of the other similar competitors out there aside from maybe like Neko Stop. I do recall wanting a lizard plush keychain here and asking staff if they had a bearded dragon one. Staff had no idea what I was talking about but they were nice enough to take out the entire shipment from storage, let me point out the one I wanted and I was able to get one. I have been searching for that size bearded dragon plushie keychain for awhile. It's from the Tsuburana Hitomi (round eyed) animals zoo collection, reptiles line! So that's a W in my book at least.

they have an excellent selection of gadgets, trinket and all things cute HOWEVER, as i was perusing…read morethru the aisles on a rainy day mind you, the worker kept asking me to move so he could mop the floor just trying to clean while im clearing occupying the space and looking around, in the end i couldn't get a good look because he kept getting in my way. seriously such an annoying thing to experience

This place is magic. I walked in, gave them an age, budget, and a few interests, and within 5…read moreminutes I had a super cool, unique birthday gift, beautifully gift wrapped and ready to go. It took away 90% of the mental load of getting ready for a birthday party. Every time I come here I'm impressed with the selection, the recommendations, and the ease of the experience. We absolutely love this store.

such a cute little toy store in south pas. i love stopping by with my kiddo when we have some…read moreextra time after his class down the street. it has a whole section for dinos if you're kids into that. they also have a lot of toys that you wouldn't find at big box stores (brio, needoh was in stock when i went last, big fat brain and much more!). the staff is very friendly and they also offer free gift wrapping! big win for busy parents. street parking or theres a small lot in the back as well.