The best (and for me, the only) reason to go to Langley.
When a place has a bypass, it can't really be a place you'd want to visit, am I right? I had never been to Langley before, but I kind of expected that the best thing about Langley was leaving it. So, I did not have high expectations of Toy Traders, at all.
I kind of visualized Toy Traders as a hole in the wall where the mom and pop owners eye you suspiciously as you wander the dark, narrow aisles adorned with handwritten signs saying: "Nice to look at, nice to hold. But if you break it, consider it sold." So, imagine my surprise when I enter for the first time, and I realize that this place rivals the Bow Mac Toys R Us in size, taking into account it has more than 1 level. Aisles are wide, inventory is well stocked, lighting is good and products are somewhat well organized. More on that later. They even have a life sized Groot.....and I'm not talking Baby Groot, either.
My first time there, I quickly made a B-line to the DC section where DC action figures and statues were stored. Where most comic book stores would carry 1, maybe 2 of a particular figure, Toy Traders would have half a dozen, or more. Some figures were priced higher than available online. Some were priced at MSRP. But, there were some items put on clearance that were well below market price. These bargains are YMMV, but Toy Traders had a few hidden gems at knockout prices. On the other end of the spectrum, they also had some figures that were long discontinued and were now highly collectable that were pushing close to a grand in value. If you are seeking a rare item, check Toy Traders first.
I then made my way to the comic book "section". Their new releases/current issues section was well stocked. They also had an alcove that had some back issues. In another section of the store, they also had a "Bargain Bin" of $2 comics. It was a bit confusing navigating the comic section(s) because comics were stored in 3+ different parts of the store. The "Bargain Bin" comics were not well organized, but after some digging, I was able to snag a few issues that I actually needed, at half the price other stores were asking. To make matters more confusing, scattered along the upper shelves of the toy/figure aisles, they also had pricey single issues of individual comics for sale. If I ran Toy Traders, I would try to make the comics less of an afterthought and consolidate everything into one section so that comics are easier to find.
Toy Traders also have a lot of "loose" action figures. "Loose" here doesn't mean sexually promiscuous. Instead, "loose" means "used toys that don't come with original packaging". Instead, they are bagged in plastic bags with accessories/weapons that may or may not be complete. Prices vary. Some might be a bargain. But, if the figure is in mint condition, highly sought after, and complete with all accessories, the price can actually be much more than the original MSRP. I did not have time to sort through everything, but I saw old G.I. Joes, He-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, My Little Ponies, etc.... I imagine that you can probably score a better deal on eBay, but at Toy Traders, you can actually see and touch the item you want.
The best reason to visit Toy Traders, perhaps, is to see all the movie props, statues and high end items on display. During COVID times, when places like Disneyland or Universal Studios are not an option, two hours at Toy Traders will be a nice alternative. Behind fences, they had full size replicas of costumes, weapons and creatures from movies such as Terminator, Star Wars and Aliens. They also had numerous dioramas featuring memorable movie scenes. It appears as if these are for display only, as price tags were not visible. But, the almighty dollar speaks, so if you see something you desire, it couldn't hurt to ask if it's for sale.
My biggest mistake was only giving myself about 90 minutes to shop. I barely scratched the surface, so I will need to go back at some point. But, there lies the problem. Who wants to go to freakin' Langley. I asked the cashier about ordering online, but they said that was not an option. When I checked out their website later that evening, I could see why. Toytraders.ca looks like it was designed back when "Lycos" was the premier search engine and Internet was via dial-up. The "Under Construction" icons are kinda cute, though.
An utterly amazing toy store, first and foremost. Comic section could use much improvement, but this would not be my first choice to get comics in the first place. Toy Traders would get 5 stars if they were located in a city of significance, and they had a full-feature e-commerce website.