Recommended shops in the Seattle area?

[Stepwise]

I'll be in Seattle over the next few days on a family vacation.

I can do searches for stores, but are there any "can't miss" shops for Transformers, Lego, comics, or just good book stores?

On the flip side . . . are there shops that I should skip due to lousy selection or outrageous prices?

I don't know that I'm looking for anything specific at the moment, I'm just looking for a chance to see something different than the Walmarts and Targets that I've been haunting around here.

 

[3210Self-Destruct]

Can’t speak for Seattle, but there’s a little shop called The Kollectors Haven across the water in Port Orchard. They sell TFs, games, and other action figures. It’s small, but I’ve always found at least one gem every time I’ve popped in.

 

[Platypus Prime]

They have nothing to do with Transformers, but there are two 'can't miss' stores in Seattle, I think:

Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, which is the strangest place I've ever been in, that has displays of everything from real mummies to two-headed animals and carries everything from tourist trinkets to Native American art and mammoth ivory- https://www.yeoldecuriosityshop.com/

And Archie Mcphee, a joke shop with a Rubber Chicken museum- https://mcphee.com/

 

[ChessPieceFace]

I moved to Seattle last year. I'll second Archie McPhee as a really fun place to check out, and very convenient to downtown.

I don't really know of any recommendations for Transformers or Lego stores in Seattle proper. If you're able to get out into the suburbs, there are some good options:

- Washington State Toy Show: Happens to be this Saturday, about 45 minutes north of the center of Seattle in Everett. They have events a few times a year in various locations, lots of tables selling TF and Lego and Joe and Mask and all kinds of weirdo stuff. I'll be there!
https://www.watoyshow.com/

- Bobakhan Toys: Also in Everett, excellent vintage toy store, focus on 70s - 90s, Transformers of all generations and lots of others. Decent prices. Looks like there's another store near there called Toy Roundup that may be promising, but I haven't been there yet.

- Bricks And Wheels: Lego store with locations in Bellevue and Kent. Lots of retired sets, opened minifigs, parts, etc.

Further south of Seattle, there's Retro Emporium in Kent, which is small but has a few Transformers and other toys. Even further in Tacoma is a place I haven't been but would like to, called Lily Pad Vintage Toys & Collectibles.
https://lilypadvintagetoys.com/

 

[Stepwise]

This is awesome - thank you!
We're checking out the ren fair for part of Saturday, but I'm going to see if there's a way we can hit up both that and the Toy Show.

 

[Platypus Prime]

One thing I would recommend, you may depending on how you travel, want to plan to mail things back to yourself. If you drive its probably no issue but flying with breakable collectibles or small parts is an absolute pain in the neck, especially if you get anything weird from my own favorite stores. Picking up a few boxes and bubble wrap is an extra expense, as is the postage, but handily avoids trying to explain anything st the gates or deal with baggage limits.

 

[Stepwise]

I've spent part of this evening mapping out where these stores are relative to us and looking at pics - Toy Roundup has a wall of TFs in one pic. I think they were the one with a massive wall of Funko Pops, top, but I'm not as interested in those.

We were cracking up over things at Archie McPhee, too. Definitely going to that store. It looks like toy stores/novelty shops are a pretty big thing up here - lots of shops seem to have that feel.

Thanks for the recommendation about shipping things home, too.

 

[ChessPieceFace]

I've spent part of this evening mapping out where these stores are relative to us and looking at pics - Toy Roundup has a wall of TFs in one pic. I think they were the one with a massive wall of Funko Pops, top, but I'm not as interested in those.

Oh yeah, I didn't even notice that before. I see the pic of Transformers now, but it does look like all recent items in the photo and the amount of Funko gives me pause. Depends on what you're looking for of course, but if you're wanting a variety including G1, I'd say Bobakhan and the toy show are better bets.

Still, Toy Roundup is now on my list to check out. Maybe even this weekend when I hit the show up there.

 

[Stepwise]

Archie McPhee's is a crazy weird place. Reminded me of Boo Radley in Spokane, but with extra doses of crazy. It was fun to see their celebrity picture wall - they had John DeLancie in his Voyager costume. (Maybe it was DS9?)

Their Transformer selection was different than what I've seen in other stores:



Not sure if I should go with a "pre-pre-transformer" joke there or just stick with "some of those knock-offs are weird."

Oh - and - when we went outside, this guy was riding past:

Not sure if that'll come through clearly or not - someone in a green muppet costume, and they were having a blast. I wasn't sure if we'd left the store or not when I saw them, though.

 

[Stepwise]

Is the Washington State Toy Show a cash-only type event or will they use something like Square? I haven't been to anything like this in years.

 

[Platypus Prime]

Not sure if that'll come through clearly or not - someone in a green muppet costume, and they were having a blast. I wasn't sure if we'd left the store or not when I saw them, though.

Don't worry, I know what to do. Launch the Blue Shell!!!

 

[ChessPieceFace]

Is the Washington State Toy Show a cash-only type event or will they use something like Square? I haven't been to anything like this in years.

Too late, but the answer was "it varied." I always bring cash because people generally prefer it, and it's easier to make deals.

There were lots of Transformers new and old at the show, but what we ended up buying was a variety of other stuff. Hope you made it!

 

[Stepwise]

I made it! Thank you for all the recommendations and advice. We had a lot of fun on this trip.

The toy show was really cool to walk through - there were recent TFs, like you said, but there were a lot of older figs. It was fun to see what people had - like a museum where you could buy the exhibits. Part of the time I was keeping tabs on things I might go back to pick up, and part of the time I was just "sightseeing." There were some masterpiece and higher-end items that I've never seen in person before. I saw some things I still have at home, too, so there was a little bit of a "so that's what it could be worth" in my head, too.

I did pick a couple things up, and my wife bought me a couple t-shirts, too. I'll post pics of those later on.

 

[Stepwise]

So - the pics... (school started right when we got back, and I haven't had time to take these until now)

The shirts -


The 3d-printed Autobot sign -



That'll end up on my wall at some point. My daughter got a dragon from the same guy.

And the two TFs I picked up -



Thanks again, it was a fun afternoon.