I am truly sorry to have to do this because I was really hopeful for a decent store to buy pokemon cards from. I bought 5 astral radiance boosters from this shop today - I noticed over 36 on display which should have been a red flag, because who opens more than a full booster box at a time to display, right? Then I ran my thumbnail across the top ridge of a pack, absolutely fine. Running my thumbnail across the bottom of a pack, I noticed the ridges are almost non-existent. They've been reheated and opened, checked for contents and put back. My wife also bought 5 and has a similar experience - in fact, one of the packs was already partially opened and all of them were FAR too easy to open. Our suspicious confirmed by purchasing a full astral radiance booster box and comparing. Note in the shop, they are also opening Build & Battle stadium deck boxes, obviously to find the decent promos/Gengar to resell online and flogging the crap off to unsuspecting parents looking to find something good for their kids. Sorry to say this is a business no collector should take seriously - because whatever you buy here the odds are stacked heavily out of your favour. P.S. I just lifted the flap on all of the packs and you can see from the picture what I have found. Anyone that has opened a fair few of these expansions knows in the later sets, they are more likely to be like fort knox to get into than fall apart in your hand! EDIT: After re-checking, three of the packs are open as in this photo. Can you really call this good business? read more

Area 51 - Three out of 5 packs opened themselves when lifting the flap! Resealed. - Hobby Shops Near Me - Bristol, BST

Do not buy Pokémon cards from here !!!!! They are 100% resealed !! I went there the other day and got a few packs of cards. Went home and noticed something was off. The bumps on the package were flat and not bumpy, the rapping was loose and one was actually open. They said some things that were worrying they said they open the Build and battle boxes and are re sealing the and selling the cards, so they are probably getting the good cards and selling them on. I will not be going here again and I suggest of you do you check the card packs before you purchase. read more

What a fantastic comic shop and as far as I understand it, the last of its kind in Bristol. Area 51 is perfect for collectors as they put all of the back issues out in boxes on the shop floor, so you can waste a good few hours digging though dusty old boxes of comics searching for that one you missed, or being reminded of all the stories you've read and loved and even finding some hidden gems you were not aware of. All of the comics are very reasonably priced and they will haggle with you over the price, so this is a shop for real collectors as there aren't many shops with back issues that stretch this far back and are there in front of you (the alternative being they are on Ebay). If you don't have hours to spend searching through boxes for a specific comic or graphic novel, just give them a call and they will do it for you. Perfect. read more

Area 51 - Hobby Shops Near Me - Bristol, BST

For sci-fi geeks out there this is surely a regular haven! Definitely not my cup of tea, but for those who enjoy dressing up as Captain Spock, playing warharmmer or reading rare and popular comics, this is the place to go. Whether you're new to the world of sci-fi and want to dip your feet in the unfamiliar ocean, or are a sci-fi veteran who delights in all things fantasy, Area 51 will please! I bought some Star Wars figurines for my nephew and though that the items were slightly overpriced. However, this is not a criticism of the shop but the overpricing of popular genres in general. That said, I think the prices were not too bad compared to other fantasy-gaming shops in the centre of town. read more

Area 51 - Hobby Shops Near Me - Bristol, BST

If you're one for games, ranging from board and card games to warhammer and roleplay, Area 51 will delight you. A game player's paradise, this little shop is guaranteed to expose you to a multitude of games you never knew existed. Stocking comics, posters and graphic novels too, you'll be spoilt for choice here. The shop operates a mailing service, so you can surprise someone special by sending them a quirky little game in the post. How cute. read more

Area 51 - Hobby Shops Near Me - Bristol, BST

Area 51 is one the best comic shops in Bristol, boasting a great collection of sci fi goodies that range from excellent statuettes to old X Men figurines from the 90's. It's surprisingly well priced considering it's a local business, and offers a great selection of comics and graphic novels that are often subject to discounts and sales. The staff are a really great bunch of people and offer a delivery service of any comics and magazines that take your fancy, which is great if you'd like comics delivered to your door. If you're looking for a great shop thats well stocked with sci fi goods and great comics, then head to Area 51 for a pleasant surprise. You wont be disappointed. read more

I used to buy comics regularly (this was late 80s/early 90s at the same time as the "speculator craze") and this was about the only place in Bristol that had comics, as well as board games, RPGs, action figures etc. It was quite a nice little shop and well worth riding my mountain bike to get there, even though I also bought quite a lot of mail order books from elsewhere and it seemed quite dear at times but at least you could poke around looking at the painted wargaming figures and such. What I most liked was the back issues in the boxes at the back of the shop hiding the good stuff people sometimes ignored because they wanted NEW comics, sometimes you might see an entire run or storyline for £2! Unfortunately for them, being halfway up Gloucester Rd and me not having a car meant visits became less often until Forbidden Planet opened up in Broadmead at which point I more or less stopped going. This wasn't because they were bad, just less convenient than hopping on a bus to the centre and doing some shopping at the same time. It nice that the place is still there, doing ok by all appearances and I do pop in occasionally with my son(he likes to trade cards) so do the right thing and support local businesses by getting your "4 color" fix here read more