You know you're going to find something useful, funny or cool (haha) when the sales clerk is…read morewearing a smock that reads "Toyologist." Love it! Friendly staff and lots of, well, toys - this would be my dream home (literally - they have the coolest wooden doll house!). I almost bought myself a kitchen mixer (like the kind grown ups get as wedding presents) but doll size...but I digress. They didn't have exactly what I was looking for - but hey, it's not like I was seeking out a run of the mill item either.

I love this shop and so do my kids, they can't wait to go in when they visit NewPort Village.read more

This place is magical. It has a whole bunch of transformers, GI Joe, War Hammer, He Man, Star…read morewlWars and Gundam stuff that I haven't seen since childhood. This is basically an adult toy store or the most awesome toy store if you could get your parents to buy this stuff for you! I'm not sure how to value these toys but I do know this store has availability and there is value there. Come check it out if you are a fan of Hasbro, Star Wars, Dragon Ball Z or anime. You never know what you will find but it will be a gem.

They should just rename this place Cybertron because of all the Transformers that live here…read more So, I've been an on-again-off-again Transformers collector over my lifetime. When I got my career going, my first goal was to buy all the Transformers my parents could never afford when I was growing up. That's where Ages Three and Up came in. A guy called Spencer opened up the original shop in East Vancouver almost 2 decades ago, and they specialized in vintage (i.e. used) Transformers as well as Japanese imports and re-issues. To cultivate a good customer base, A3U also had periodic fan nights where customers got together to watch cartoons, trade figures and talk Transformers. They also routinely had guest voice-actors from the cartoons at these gatherings to mingle with the guests. How cool was that? These events were free, only about 2 dozen people ever showed up, and everyone had a great time. At the East Vancouver location, I spent thousands of dollars on Transformers. Eventually, the store closed down. I eventually heard that they had moved east to either Coquitlam or Burnaby, but by then, I had satiated my Transformers fix because I had amassed virtually every Transformer I ever wanted. When I started working in Coquitlam, I stumbled across A3U in a strip mall. New location, new owners. Still Transformers-centric. They have a lot of Transformers, especially Masterpiece figures that are marketed towards adult collectors. Starting at over $100 each, these figures are engineered to be difficult to transform, but as close to cartoon accurate as possible. Expect to pay over $500 for the top-of-the-line figures. They also have a lot of "third-party Transformers", which is a fancy way of saying "knock-off". These aren't Hasbro/Takara/Tomy-licensed products. Instead, other companies have re-imagined the Transformers, and engineered toys that are meant to be tributes to the original characters. So, you will have a figure called "Lucifer" who resembles Starscream in most details, but is not an exact copy of any existing Takara/Hasbro product. Color scheme is the same, transformation is very similar, but just a different name. Apparently, these toys have been created by fans who wanted to create their "perfect" Transformers. And, they are amazing toys in their own right. And, if you think that they are cheap and inferior to the originals, you would be wrong. In fact, many of these "third-party" toys are more expensive than the official, licensed products. In addition to the Transformers, A3U also has a small offering of products from DC and Marvel Universes. They also carry modelling supplies, model kits, games and statues. However, the main reason I love coming to A3U is to see their display cabinets filled with 100's of Transformers from multiple toy lines and eras. In the few times I've been here, I can tell the staff are really passionate about Transformers and related toys. I see what appear to be regulars being warmly greeted. Prices can be shocking for the uninitiated, but remember, this store is for people with the means to buy their childhood dreams. If you are really desperate to save a few bucks, some online vendors will have the same products for a bit cheaper. But, here, you get to touch and hold what you want to buy. Parking is ample, and Skytrain is nearby. I would suggest bringing a platinum credit card if you plan on buying anything. No need to take a space-bridge to Cybertron to see Transformers anymore. All the Transformers are at Ages Three and Up.

This store is located in the crystal mall on the 2nd floor…read more I like coming here for the Gundam kits. They have a wide selection and at reasonable prices, cheaper then the Sakura Media in Metrotown mall. They also sell packages of the paint pens. as well as your other generic hobby paints and equipment. They also sell: Takara Beyblades (the japanese brand that makes beyblade) and accessories. As far as I know the beyblades vary in price depending on which one you want to get. I can't say for sure how much they average around since I have no interest in buying one. Trading cards (yugioh, pokemon, etc...), along with deck boxes, and sleeves. Plushies A few anime trinkets (near the entrance) like key chains and wallets. And some random accessories and things (umbrellas, and cellphone cases)

Showed up at the store at noon. Hours listed on the door say it opens at 11:30am…read more It is closed with a back in 30 minutes sign up. At 12:40, a woman showed up, opened the door and went in and out without letting the customers in, locked up and left again. I assume the business is unimportant to them.

excellent store has a huge variety and great service. super helpful in finding new games for my…read morefamily

Best place ever. Been going for 10+ years and the worst time I ever had was a card pack I wanted…read morewas sold out

Came here and bought some dice for DnD. Now I have my own dice. The store is a good size and is…read moreneatly organized. It has some good board games for sale here. They also have a very good collection of Pop toys.

What an awesome place for geekery! I was looking for some DBZ Pop figs and they had most of the…read moreones I needed. Price was reasonable, even for the exclusive ones. They also had some other DBZ toys but my wallet was crying for mercy. This new location of theirs is so well laid out. The play space is towards the back. I noticed the wall of demo board games which I'll have to come back and check out later. I approve greatly of the mall move.

I just experience racial profiling at Once Upon a Child. I am extremely disappointed by my recent…read moreexperience at Once Upon a Child, a store I have faithfully supported for the last six years. I came in to purchase clothing for my child after buying a printer for a new sublimation project I'm excited to start. While checking out, I realized I had not transferred enough money into the correct account yet. I politely asked if I could purchase a few sweaters for my child first (around $70-$78 worth) and place the remaining items on hold while I quickly transferred the rest of the funds and came back to complete the purchase. The employee helping me was absolutely wonderful kind, friendly, patient, and engaging. We were chatting about my upcoming business projects, and the interaction was going very well. However, when she asked the manager for assistance, the entire experience changed. From the moment the manager became involved, I felt immediately uncomfortable. Instead of handling the situation with professionalism or basic understanding, I was treated with suspicion and accused of potentially "shorting the company." She repeatedly emphasized not wanting the store to be "shorted $78," despite the fact that I was actively trying to complete the purchase and had already shown proof of previous transactions on my account from today and the day before. I have shopped at this location for years without ever having a single issue. To suddenly be treated as though I was attempting to scam the store was humiliating and deeply upsetting. The interaction left me feeling profiled and discriminated against as one of the very few Black customers in the store at the time. Whether intentional or not, the treatment I received felt rooted in racial bias and harmful assumptions. To make matters worse, I left the store having already paid $78 and without any clothing in hand. I was told to come back once the payment posted to my account and that the purchase would "allegedly" be honored at that point. The entire situation was unnecessary, embarrassing, and handled in a way that made me feel dehumanized rather than valued as a long-term customer. If the owner sees this review, I want you to know that this was my genuine experience at your store. Your manager made me feel as though, based solely on the color of my skin, I was someone who was trying to short or scam the company. Whether you intended to create that kind of environment or not, that is exactly how I was made to feel. As someone who has consistently supported this business and spent hundreds of dollars here over the years for my child, I never expected to be treated this way. Unfortunately, after this experience, I will not be returning, and I feel compelled to warn others especially Black families and customers about how I was treated here. No customer deserves to feel degraded, stereotyped, or racially profiled while simply trying to shop for their child.

Found about this place through a friend. This place sells gently used kids clothing and…read moreaccessories and they also buy gently used kids clothing. Example: clothing - infant to youth size, dancewear, dresswear, sleepwear shoes - rain boots, sneakers, boots toys, books, games, puzzles baby gear - high chairs, strollers, bassinets The place does have a ton of stuff and they look pretty new, washed and cleaned. Entire place is organized by sizes. They have more of the baby clothes such as the onesie than the size 10-12 and youth sizes. They also have free parking which is a bonus. Customer service is a hit or miss, some are unpleasant while others are helpful and friendly. Another thing great about this place is that you can bring in kids items to sell on the spot. They review your items and you get paid in cash, cheque if it's over $50. Note: -there is a line-up of first come, first serve -it does take a while to sort through items (think about an hour for each person) -they don't take all the items, ONLY a select few -items must be clean and in almost new condition -items should be brought into the store in a bin The only thing that would make this place better is the pricing of the items they take. It would be nice to have more transparency on how the pay out for the items are. They just mention its through a computer. Helpful advice: -better to bring more than less as they only take a select few -better to bring items that are needed for that season (ex: rain boots for spring)

Great service and knowledgeable staff. Lots of comics, figures and painting inventory (i.e…read more Warhammer 40k, LOTR, etc).

Large selection of new and past issues of comics to browse from…read more This is the first comic book shop I have found in Coquitlam (Port Moody). It's kind of located away from the main strip in a non-descript building. Once you enter, head to the far wall for all the latest comics. On your way there, you'll also find aisles and aisles filled with boxes of old comics. A quick perusal had me finding 20+ year old comics available. Comics are very well organized with labeled partitions. I had no trouble locating some of my favorite titles. That said, there were many back issues missing from the title I was pursuing. Prices, however, we're good since they were virtually cover price for 3-4 year old comics. The staff are friendly. In the short time I was there, a few regulars dropped by and were greeted like long-time friends. This store also has a large selection of Dungeons and Dragons figures.....the kind that you paint and role-play with. Not my thing, but it's available if you like that sort of thing. Also, they have a small selection of action figures, statues and busts of comic book characters, although prices seem a bit higher than I have seen in Vancouver shops. All in all, a good way to relive your childhood one comic book at a time.

Ever since John took over the store it has been a pillar of the community. Comics Scene is…read moreeverything you want a local comic/card store to be. The staff are knowledgeable, helpful and most importantly they make you feel welcome. Shout out to John, Steve, Nicky, Adrian, Zak and Madison!

Small place makes interacting with friendly staff unavoidable…read more To say this place is small is an understatement. It's about the size of my living room. That said, they manage to pack a lot into this tiny joint. Right in the middle of the store are huge storage bins for back issues of comics. Underneath the bins are more long boxes filled with comics. Everything is clearly labeled, making things easier to locate. Most labels are by character name (i.e. Green Lantern) or title name (Justice League, X-Men). You might have to do a little digging, however, as multiple volumes/series are lumped together under one heading. When I couldn't find something specific, the staff were quick to jump in to help me find what I wanted. Along the side walls are more back issues. Along the back wall are the current issues for the week/month. The counter along the left has glass display cabinets featuring high-priced comics under lock and key. Statues, toys, memorabilia, artwork, action figures and Funkos are displayed for sale throughout any and all available spaces. Price-wise, they are pretty fair. They didn't seem to jack up the prices of variant cover back issues like some other stores do. And, when I purchased over $250 worth of stuff, the owner, John, gave me a break on the price of a few items. They recently hired some new staff, and they are slowly re-organizing everything to better utilize the limited space. But, with 1000's of comics, it's a work in progress. Not a big store, but punches above its weight class.