So as part of our ongoing aim to develop and grow as a platform, we are in the process of broadening what we do here on Off the Record, this includes adding some new sections and new subjects to talk about, so with that in mind, check out our very first retail store review.
So today we were wandering around St Enochs shopping centre in Glasgow when we discovered something awesome.
Much like a young Harry Potter seeing Diagon Alley for the first time, the clouds parted and I was instantly excited. As a card carrying geek of about 24 years, I love a new store that caters to fans of anime and this one is just brilliant. I mean it’s not the only one in town, within a five minute walk of Glasgow central it has competitors in Geekaboo, Tokyo Toys, The Boy Who Lived and Forbidden Planet all broadly reaching for the same market but in all honesty I think Anime Gallery has them all beat. And let me tell you why!
Firstly they manage to balance a great range of products from hats and clothing for the discerning fan of anime and manga (with a changing room to try the clothes on, which is a massive plus)
Speaking of which if Manga is your passion then they have plenty of volumes across the board for both the hardcore and casual readers.
If you’re after something a little more cuddly then they have a nice selection of collectible plushies, with plenty of cute little Pokemon…So you can catch ’em all.
As I touched on at the start, these items aren’t on their own that unique, even selling snacks
Isn’t enough to push them over the top because you can find these products in any of the competing stores, even a well stocked funko pop section wouldn’t really set them apart
In my opinion, what does make this store so great is threefold, firstly the staff were polite and courteous, secondly the store was well sized so that you can explore without feeling hemmed in at all sides by either merchandise or other customers.
And lastly this little gem, right up the back, kind of hidden is a seating area, laid out like a little cafe, but designed in the style of My Neighbor Totoro. It’s beautiful, charming and absolutely unique and it’s why I strongly suggest you check out this store if you haven’t already.
First Published on: https://offtherecordblog.org/
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