Monday, April 17, 2017

Big Pop Shop

www.bigpopshop.com
In our household we are always on the go. When I'm not working my day job or making ornaments I'm out helping my husband in his newest adventure. Have you heard of Funko POP!s? Well if you haven't sit back and let me explain this phenomenon that has swept the nation and become a huge passion for my husband.
 
Funko POP! is an American company based right outside of Seattle in Everett, Washington. They were founded in 1998 and started as a bobblehead company. Funko hold hundreds of licenses and the rights to create thousands of characters. They are one of the largest holders of licenses and rights in the pop culture and collectibles industry. Their most widely known for their Funko POP! vinyl figures and Dorbz. Soon they'll even have a 17,000 sqft store open in Everett to shop at and have interactive experiences.
 
So what exactly is a Funko POP!? It's usually a 4 inch, vinyl figure that is designed, painted and created to look like a character in pop culture. Name one of your favorite characters in a movie, a television show, animation, video game etc and they've probably made it. If they haven't made it they probably will just give them time. See what I'm talking about...
I love 80's movies so naturally I own the Sixteen Candles set. It consists of Samantha Baker, Farmer Ted, Long Duck Dong and of course Jake Ryan. But the 80's doesn't stop there... They've got Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Gremlins, The Goonies, E.T., The Breakfast Club, Ferris Buellers Day Off.... the list could go on and on! Don't even get me started on their television show ones or even their Disney and movies collections. You guys they have a Saved by the Bell set...
 
I mean really. Enough said! Aren't they adorable? Ok so now you get the idea and understand what a Funko POP! is. The next question is how did my husband get started in Funko POP!s? A few years ago we were dating the Game of Thrones show started on HBO. Well like every other person we became addicted to the show and the storylines. At the time Funko put out it's first series of Games of Thrones characters. It was six little POPs featuring a few of the main characters. We first saw them on a shelf at Barnes and Noble and we were like that's pretty cool. So we bought the first set and went on our merry way.
(The first POPs he ever bought)
 
Then the next series of Game of Thrones came out and then we started noticing that they were POPing up everywhere of everything you could imagine. Now there's limited editions (known as Chases), and store exclusives that make collecting them like a hunt. You could want a certain POP but have to hunt for it at several stores before you can find it. Their rare and highly sought after. By going out and looking for the POPs you are known to the world as POP Hunting.
 
The first time my husband got a batch of exclusive and hard to find pops he called me and told me he was literally shaking. Like actually physically overcome with excitement that his body shook. I guess you can compare it to the equivalent to meeting a celebrity in person. His passion is POPs. He loves going out and looking for them, he loves collecting them and he loves seeing other people get their POPs. It's become a really big passion for him. So much so that he makes a 120 mile trek to a special store just to see what they've got in stock each week. On a day off it's not unheard of for him to visit several Targets, GameStops, Walmarts and book stores looking for a specific POP.
 
Did you think finding the POP is the hardest part? Oh no... let's talk about the box that they come in. Some people who collect never take them out of the box. They look at the box like it's part of the collectible itself. If it's removed from the box they consider it not as valuable and not complete. Then there's other people who take them out of the box and even throw it away. My husband never takes his out of the box. If he's going to take it out of the box then he buys an extra. The boxes need to be in mint condition. Stores have a tendency to crease the boxes, scuff the corners and sometimes completely collapse them in areas of the box. When you find that POP you've been looking for nothing is worse that grabbing the box and noticing a giant dent in the back of it.
 
Now he's kicked his passion up a notch and started his own business of POPs. It's called Big Pop Shop and it's launching soon. The officially launch date is May 4th but it could launch sooner! He's been getting his stock together, hunting down Chase POPs and finding exclusives to bring to other lovers of POPs. He's even got a few preorder deals available. Preorders are limited but it guarantees that you get your POPs and includes the hard to find Chase....
 




 

If you are a lover of POPs or know someone who has their own collection of Funko POPs or Dorbz then go check out Big Pop Shop where their all available right at your fingertips. No more calling eight stores and sifting through row after row of badly damaged boxes because Big Pop Shop has got your covered.
 

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