4.26.2021 (updated 5.2.2021)
Saturday was one week late and a year delayed, but it was right on time and could not have come at a better time. COVID-19 and the year-long lockdown has been stressful to say the least. Only weeks before the lockdown back in 2020, my best friend Eric and I attended Zolocon here in Pennsylvania. We had a blast meeting friends old and new, especially Joel Shipley of Rocketships & Accessories. At that time, we also took our regularly schedule trip to New York, hitting our favorite collectible spots like Image Anime, Toy Tokyo, and Forbidden Planet, and then finishing our day at Mitsuwa in Edgewater, New Jersey. During that trip, we couldn’t stop saying how it was a perfect day, beautiful weather, parking spots in front of all shops, and great collectibles seen and had. Little did we know that would soon end and the world would be flipped upside down. Everything screeched to a halt, no more New York trips, no more conventions and no more hanging out. When talking, we often returned to memories of those good days. Now, a year later, fully vaccinated with things slowly getting back to normal, we got together, headed out, back on the road, collectible shopping. And what a Saturday we had! We head out to go to as many shops as possible. We went to Comic Fortress in Somerville, New Jersey, followed by Phantasm Comics in New Hope. And then we saved the best was left for last. The day was capped off with our return to the House of Fun.
The House of Fun is the perfect name for this amazing shop. There has not been a shop as fun and as great for me and Eric since Rocketships & Accessories (closed 1985) and Outer Limits (closed c. 2005). As the owner said, he wanted a one-stop shop. And he certainly achieved it. The House of Fun first opened in 2005. Sadly, I didn’t know about them until last year. The shop is the home of many vintage and modern toys, games, videos, toys, video games and more. You will find the stuff of your childhood memories and holidays: Godzilla, Ultraman, Astro Boy, Marvel and DC Heroes, Six Million Dollar Man, Big Jim, Evel Knievel, GI Joe, WWF, and so much more. There is something for every collector. There is so much to see and to buy. You won’t want to leave. The House of Fun recently moved down the street to a bigger and better store. The new store is enormous where the toys reach tower to the height of high ceilings. So you’ve got to search every shelf, around every corner and into every nook. If there was an old childhood toy you’ve been wanting for years, there is a great chance you will find it at the House of Fun. You can learn more about it at TheHouseOfFun.com. Warning, the website does not show the shop’s vast inventory. When I returned to the House of Fun next week, I will post plenty of photos.
Of all the great items I picked up this past weekend, the Bandai Characon Mecha Godzilla from the House of Fun was the prize. Here are some photos of the great House of Fun.
