The blind box trend invaded the internet recently with Sonny Angels, the baby Cupid wearing a variety of head gear and clothing, who keeps growing in popularity, and more recently the Labubu, a furry monster from a fairy book from Hong Kong, who is also gaining more and more fans.
I have been collecting toys and other trinkets since I was a kid and that’s because my brother shares the same hobby. Toys are important to me not only because it’s a fun hobby to have, but it also keeps me rooted to my inner child, which is probably also why the hobby has grown mostly within the young-adult demographic.
My introduction to the mystery/blind box concept was through Pokémon cards. It was the thrill of not knowing if you’ll get a cool card or not which entices the purchase of more cards.
I found myself going for my first blind box with the Funko-mini Marvel themed series. What made it better than cards is that it was a 3D object I could easily display anywhere rather than the small, flat piece of printed cardboard I only left in a deck box.
Among the toys I collect, blind boxes grant a special feeling. The rip of the box. The crinkle of the plastic bag inside. The fear of not getting the figure I want. It’s all part of the excitement.
With local shops oriented to this subculture like Tooti Frooti, it is hard to resist not collecting mystery figurines.
Francesca Martinez, the owner of the Midtown treasure trove, grew up being a collector of cute figurines as her parents themselves are collectors of the same thing. This love for figurines eventually led to owning her own shop.
“Now that I opened this store, I’m seeing more people that are like me, which is sick,” Martinez explained.
She uses the shop as an outlet for herself and for the community to share the excitement and fun of collecting through events that she holds. “I would like to say that I’m helping people recognize the culture,” Martinez said.
Bianca Olarte, a student at the University of Nevada, Reno, has been collecting for about a year.
“It’s like glue because some of my friends also collect them because of me, and I feel more connected to them because we like the same things,” Olarte said.
What attracts her to these small figurines is that it’s a source of happiness that fits right into her pocket. “It’s like having something that brings us all together in a world where it's very divided,” Olarte said.