Explain Pop Mart/Mini So to me

murasaki · 01/09/2025 17:29

Pop mart sell Lububus, I think, which are ugly squishy toys, but in demand for reasons I do not understand. They are the only shop that does.

MadisonMarieParksValetta · 01/09/2025 17:42

Mini so is basically a Sanrio merch shop. So Hello Kitty, Kuromi, Cinnmorrol etc. These characters are big with some youtubers. That's how my daughter learned of them and I've been in that queue a few times now 🙄

YanTanTetheraPetheraBumfitt · 01/09/2025 18:08

Mainly labubu, horrible looking troll type small things in blind boxes. I did read on the local Reddit now that the pop mart near me when you finally get to the front of the queue you can’t necessarily buy something anymore. You also have to go in a raffle to see if you can buy something. Apparently people were fighting in the shop. But they don’t tell you about the raffle when you join the queue. And people queue for ages…..I’d be very annoyed if I spent hours in the queue and still couldn’t buy anything 🤷‍♀️

ManteesRock · 01/09/2025 21:59

YanTanTetheraPetheraBumfitt · 01/09/2025 18:08

Mainly labubu, horrible looking troll type small things in blind boxes. I did read on the local Reddit now that the pop mart near me when you finally get to the front of the queue you can’t necessarily buy something anymore. You also have to go in a raffle to see if you can buy something. Apparently people were fighting in the shop. But they don’t tell you about the raffle when you join the queue. And people queue for ages…..I’d be very annoyed if I spent hours in the queue and still couldn’t buy anything 🤷‍♀️

Don't believe everything you read on Reddit 🤣🤣
That was a rumour started on tiktok by someone who was trying to put people off going so the queues would be smaller. It spread like wildfire and wasn't even true 🤣🤣.

ManteesRock · 01/09/2025 22:00

Globules · 01/09/2025 17:27

What is the appeal?

Walking past these shops, they always have queues outside.

What is it they sell, and why is it so desirable?

Even DD (19) can't explain it to me!

It's a Japanese company they sell lots of Japanese merchandise.

Original poster

Globules · 01/09/2025 22:02

The appeal is so big that people queue just to get into the shops? Wow.

The only thing on this thread that I'd heard of before tonight was Hello Kitty.

Thanks for the info. I'll continue walking past the queues then.

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Needmorelego · 01/09/2025 22:06

It's no more baffling than people who queue outside Next at 5am for the sale or the butchers on Christmas Eve for a turkey.
They are shops that sell things that people like.

WhatMe123 · 01/09/2025 22:08

The power of you tube and advertising tbh

Just sticking the current trends that influencers are pushing and kids/teens for mad for

Original poster

Globules · 01/09/2025 22:51

Needmorelego · 01/09/2025 22:06

It's no more baffling than people who queue outside Next at 5am for the sale or the butchers on Christmas Eve for a turkey.
They are shops that sell things that people like.

They're queues for one off events though.

There is always a queue outside these shops when I walk past.

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Needmorelego · 01/09/2025 22:55

Globules · 01/09/2025 22:51

They're queues for one off events though.

There is always a queue outside these shops when I walk past.

Show quote history

They are popular shops that often are in small premises so they restrict the amount of people in at one time.
Posh jewellery/designer goods type shops often do the same thing.

828Pax · 01/09/2025 23:28

Went in there for the 1st time last week with dd. There was no queue however by the time we came out (no longer than 5
mins!) a queue had built up. I was quite perplexed at what exactly people were queuing for, even dd10 found the shop boring and she was the one who wanted to go in there!

Shitpeas · 01/09/2025 23:38

There's a Mini So near me. I've never seen a queue outside it. I've been in a few times with my kids and it wasn't busy. It sells overpriced Japanese toys and accessories with cartoon characters on. It seems popular with kids, a bit like Kenji. You are probably not the target market!

Shitpeas · 01/09/2025 23:39

There's a Mini So near me. I've never seen a queue outside it. I've been in a few times with my kids and it wasn't busy. It sells overpriced Japanese toys and accessories with cartoon characters on. It seems popular with kids, a bit like Kenji. You are probably not the target market!

ManteesRock · 02/09/2025 00:20

Globules · 01/09/2025 22:02

The appeal is so big that people queue just to get into the shops? Wow.

The only thing on this thread that I'd heard of before tonight was Hello Kitty.

Thanks for the info. I'll continue walking past the queues then.

Yes and people often travel some distance to go to them, just like they'll travel to the p.louise shop, there aren't many actual shops. And until they opened actual brick and mortar shops in the UK people like me who like Sanrio etc have had to pay extortionate amounts of money for any character merchandise other than Hello Kitty.
Granted there will be a few people who are being influenced by social media but a lot have been fans for a long time.

ManteesRock · 02/09/2025 00:21

Shitpeas · 01/09/2025 23:39

There's a Mini So near me. I've never seen a queue outside it. I've been in a few times with my kids and it wasn't busy. It sells overpriced Japanese toys and accessories with cartoon characters on. It seems popular with kids, a bit like Kenji. You are probably not the target market!

I love going in Kenji!

imnotwhoyouthinkiam · 02/09/2025 00:26

The MiniSo near me is nearly always empty. When it first opened I thought it was a cheapy shop, like Tiger where I'd be able to pick up stocking fillers. I was very wrong!

I could spend a small fortune in there if I had a small fortune.

Original poster

Globules · 02/09/2025 07:30

Kenji?
P.louise?

I've never seen those shops. Probably as there's no queue outside them.

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