maxcarnage Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 I am traveling to San Francisco for a family reunion. my hope is hit up some stores for minimates. does anyone have suggestions? I am staying at union square... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jatta Pake Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 It's been a few years since I've shopped for Minimates in San Francisco. Luckily, there are a lot of comic book shops around so you should be able to find some. The Metreon used to have a fantastic store called "Out of This World" or something but they closed their doors a few years ago. I happened to be in town and scored some great going out of business sales. Japantown Center had one action figure/games store that sold Minimates. Had a lot of early wave stuff. You can hop on a Geary bus from Union Square to get there. I didn't really start collecting Minimates until after I moved from San Francisco, so I don't have a roster of stores I can recount from memory. But I can find every Irish Pub in San Francisco via Muni in all hazy states of intoxication. If you need a full Italian dinner at 2:30am after a long night of drinking, I recommend The Steps of Rome in North Beach, if you can get in. You will be surrounded by Europeans and you will have a blast. My last recommendation is to get out of Union Square and Fisherman's Warf as much as possible to dine and drink with the locals. Every neighborhood has its own flavor and is a lot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheul Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 I am traveling to San Francisco for a family reunion. my hope is hit up some stores for minimates. does anyone have suggestions? I am staying at union square... I don't know about Minimates but the Night Tour of Alcatraz is a lot of fun. Be sure to book ahead of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binaryan Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 I am traveling to San Francisco for a family reunion. my hope is hit up some stores for minimates. does anyone have suggestions? I am staying at union square... I don't know about Minimates but the Night Tour of Alcatraz is a lot of fun. Be sure to book ahead of time. I live in the East Bay and have not had much luck locating 'Mates in SF. There is a single toy shop in Japantown that had a couple of box sets. There are no Toys R Us stores in the City itself sadly. If you make it to Oakland, there's a great shop called Dr. Comics and Mr. Games that has a nice selection (except for the ones I've already snatched up). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storm 1:08 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 If you make it to Oakland, there's a great shop called Dr. Comics and Mr. Games that has a nice selection (except for the ones I've already snatched up). Wow, Dr. Comics & Mr. Games has minimates? I never knew that or knew of any retailer in Bay Area that still carries them. Well, I never visited them though I heard they are pretty good. I'll have to see them when I go back to visit my family. Would it be close enough to take a fun BART ride and visit the place for maxcarnage? Just want to make sure he finds something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain_cbecker Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 (edited) As it works out, I work a few blocks from Union Square and have spent many many many lunch hours walking around looking for 'mates, and I will tell you one thing... if there is a great minimate center of the universe, the San Francisco Bay Area is the farthest point from it. I had a bit too much time, so I'll give you the run down with a rating based on a total of 5 Thumbs Up. As JP said, Things From Another World used to be a good place for comics, minimates and other entertainment-themed merchandise (before their untimely demise a couple of years ago). I scored a lot of my Star Trek, BSG, BTTF and 24 collection there, as well as plenty of Marvel and DC mates. Sadly, they are no more, unless you want to order from their retail mothership (www.tfaw.com) in Washington State - which I recommend as they often have some great sales. Definitely 4 Thumbs up, when they were open. Jeffrey's toys on Market (about 5 blocks from Union Square), is a fun comics and toy store - but don't look for any mates... they sometimes have a partial case of something that someone preordered (right now its the picked through remains of Wolverine Origins), but don't stock 'mates with any regularity - though you might find some Kubricks there as well as Marvel Select and DC action figures - beware of the prices though - expect to pay a 50% premium on most. 2 Thumbs Up for price gouging and lousy minimate selection Urban Outfitters at Powell and Market is a good source of Urban Vinyl-type figures like Simpsons, Futurama, Domo and Lost Kubricks. I picked up Desperately Seeking Susan and Chef Duff mates there over a year ago - since then, they have spiralled into the non-minimate blackhole. They're packed to the teeth on the Staypuft banks and DST's BTTF 1 electronic DeLorean. 1 Thumb up for at least contributing to DST's solvency. Action Figure Freddy - Even though he's still in the phone book, don't bother - another unfortunate victim of the poor economy (along with lousy location, high prices and a selection that heavily favored old Power of the Force SW figures and Toybiz LOTR - none of which was helped by the elitist, know-it-all manager). Only saw 2 packs of DC mates there once. No great loss. 0 Thumbs Up + Big middle finger Borders @ Westfield Mall & Union Square - both nice-sized stores. IM2 mates all wiped out. Plenty of unsold Twilight/New Moon merch at 75% off, if Volvo-driving, sparkly emo vampires are your thing. 2 Thumbs up when IM2 exclusive mates were in stock Ambassador Toys at Embarcadero Center - No cool toys or collectibles. Some Playmobil and Lego - otherwise, don't bother unless your looking for stuffed animals or Thomas the Tank Engine. This place is for the kiddies. 0 Thumbs up In the area, one of the best places I've found is Flying Colors Comics in Concord - It's about 35 miles east, but stocks most Marvel and Comics based mates as well as a nice Comics selection and lots of other merch. Only 3 thumbs up because they won't order non-superhero licenses for stock (preorder only). If you get near Sacramento - A-1 Comics is a minimate mecca - lots of old waves and HTF variant packs. Expect a 90 minute drive. Better yet - stock not limited to superheroes only merchandise - the place is huge - 5 thumbs up. Instead of engaging in a pointless search for non-existant 'mates in the city, enjoy the sights and fine dining. Edited June 8, 2010 by captain_cbecker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SErge Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 i remember there was one store in japantown that sold like mobile suit gundam model kits, anyone heard of it? i'm planning to take a trip down there pretty sad to here things from another world closed down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxcarnage Posted June 8, 2010 Author Share Posted June 8, 2010 Instead of engaging in a pointless search for non-existant 'mates in the city, enjoy the sights and fine dining. thanks for all the suggestion everyone. i do plan on seeing the sights and having a boat load of fun. i was looking cool stores in the area that might be nice to check out on the way. if anyone has any other ideas keep them coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
entertheninja! Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 you can always come back to Vegas and see all of the minimates and their glory! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rheul Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Instead of engaging in a pointless search for non-existant 'mates in the city, enjoy the sights and fine dining. thanks for all the suggestion everyone. i do plan on seeing the sights and having a boat load of fun. i was looking cool stores in the area that might be nice to check out on the way. if anyone has any other ideas keep them coming Go to the Muir Woods. Its like being on Endor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Minimate Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 I know! My family lives there and I go to SF every summer. I only know a few and normally go to the Comic Outpost because it's only a short drive from home. I hope this helps On Ocean Ave, there's The Comic Outpost. GREAT place in my opinion, the ground floor is for comics, mostly (minimates being quite close to the window side), and in the little attic there's a spot for old issues and old Marvel Legends toys. [Also, you get to try out the Cheesecake shop (Zanze's) which is practically sponge cake-- it's so delicate you have to use a wire to cut it. But get there quick, because when the holidays start, Zanze himself will go on a very long leave.] On the far side of San Mateo (I think), there's a Lee's Comics. Very wide range of comics, but less minimates. There's also Amazing Fantasy at Irving, which is a smaller shop, but has a load of classic figures and lots of back issues. {Check out Stonestown Galleria as well, it's a nice mall with things from chocolate and food courts to GameStop and Borders} Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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