Funko Hollywood
DETAILS:
Location: 6201 Hollywood Blvd #100, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Hours: 12PM to 6PM Monday - Friday / 10AM to 6PM Saturday & Sunday.
Parking: Metered street parking & various paid parking lots (rates vary) available in the area. There is also limited free street parking available in the residential area south of Hollywood Boulevard. Please observe all posted street signs.
Cost: Free to enter!
Price varies by size and edition, but to provide a general sense of cost; a standard 5” figurine is $12 (as of this post).
Funko Hollywood offers an experience called Pop People! This experience allows you to design a pop that looks (somewhat) like you. Pop People is an in-person experience and does not take reservations, accept orders via email, phone or online. Pop People starts at $25 plus tax.
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Whether you’re in the collectable scene or just passing by the toy section at Barnes & Noble, you’re probably familiar with Funko bobbleheads. If any of these diminutive and completely adorable figurines based on various pop culture personalities has ever put a smile on your face, then you need to do yourself a favor and visit the Funko store in Hollywood. Built in 2019, Funko Hollywood is just the second of two brick & mortars in the country (the first is located in Everett, Washington, where Funko is headquartered) and is self-described as a land of “whimsy, adventure, fun, larger-than-life photo opportunities and immersive sets inspired by your favorite worlds, characters and moments.” You know what? That description is pretty spot on.
When you step inside, the first thing you’ll notice is how mammoth the location is (over 40,000 square feet) and you’ll swear that you’ve just swallowed a capsule of Pym Particles as you encounter each gigantic Funko statue that pervades every nook & cranny. Part museum, part theme park, part retail store, you’ll walk around in complete delight as you browse each corridor’s selection of Funko products which is divided by licensing theme (There’s a DC section, Harry Potter section, and Star Wars section just to name a few). Funko Hollywood also offers a unique experience called “Pop People!” where you have the opportunity to create a Funko character that looks just like you (or anyone else for that matter). Just like a ride at Disneyland, the wait for this can get pretty long so make sure to arrive early and place your name on the waiting list (you’ll get a text when your turn is up). I arrived right at 12PM for a Thursday opening and still had to wait twenty minutes to receive my text notification… only to discover that they were out of black hair color pieces that would make my Pop Person look like my very own mini-me. I suppose that gives me a reason to come back which I’m not mad at. And I still managed to spend way more than anticipated (which I’m a tiny bit mad at). Suffice it to say, these little guys are addictive!
UPDATED
I was able to return a few weeks later after my initial visit and I’m happy to report that I was able to finally “POP”myself. He’s a brief rundown of that experience…
As noted previously, there’s a good chance you’ll encounter a line waiting for the store to open on any given day. That’s because most of these people are waiting to enter and POP themselves, so arrive as early as you can to reduce your waiting time for this opportunity. Once you enter, you’ll proceed to the line immediately to your right inside the store. This is where store employees will take your info and place you into the waiting cue. The nice thing is, once you’ve provided your contact info, you’re free to roam the store until your turn comes up which you get notified of via text message. All told, we waited about 15 minutes so it really wasn’t that bad.
Once you get your text, you’ll report to the kiosk stations and start creating your POP. Here you’ll choose from options like: male/female, skin tone, hair style & color, clothing tops & bottoms, and 2 free accessories. Once you finish, the kiosk will print out a receipt which you’ll give to the POP PERSON work station where your POP will built. This process will take about 20 minutes or longer depending on how many POPs are being built ahead of yours, but you’re free to roam the store again or leave the store all together as long as you return before closing on the same day to claim your POP for $25 plus tax! All in all, I’m pretty happy with my personal POP!
RESOURCES:
Funko Hollywood website.
