I called in to place preorders on a couple of MTG x FF decks on Feb 19th and whoever picked up the…read morecall said they would write down my name and orders for when they set up the pre-order list up. Everything cool, right? Well, it turns out, no. I came in today since I was in the area to double check if I was on the list and was not. They completely forgot to add me in and the list was so long, it was highly unlikely I would get the decks I pre-ordered. They told me it would be best to go to another shop to order and was not at all apologetic about the mishap. In fact, there were no apologies made. I really wanted to support a local card shop but the lack of accountability and the poor customer service makes it very difficult to do so. I won't be back.

An okay stop for tabletop games and minis, but nothing that really wowed me. The selection is…read moredecent, and you'll find the popular titles and basics you'd expect, of course. Staff were polite and professional, but the energy felt pretty flat, which made the visit less engaging. It's fine if you're already in the area and need a specific item, but not a destination I'd go out of my way for.

They had one piece and no pokemon. Retail at $12 / pack which is insane, but I just wanted to open…read moresome. Staff were super nice.

I've been going to Gator Games and Hobby in San Mateo for a while now, and it's been my go-to spot…read morefor card collecting. They carry a really wide selection--everything from Pokémon and sports cards to Warhammer 3000 figures and other card game essentials. It's definitely a convenient one-stop shop if you're into multiple hobbies. They also host game days, which is a nice touch. Depending on the card game, you can usually find matches going on and a community of players to connect with, which adds to the overall experience.

The IMIM store is the retail storefront face of Hobby Engineering and is owned/run by Al…read more Some background : I started going to Hobby Engineering when he was located in Millbrae on El Camino. Got a PIC programer and some other various things. After he moved to the current location thats closer to the airport I continue to buy things from him, usually emergencies when I'm short a part or have a rush on something. Hobby Engineering has a searchable website so you can see what he has in stock. The IMIM store hours are what I would nicely say Quasi-Predictable. He's basically running two businesses at the same time by himself and most business is through the mail-order/warehouse side of things however you can really tell he wants to have a storefront. I know currently he's trying for regular Saturday hours but its always best to read the website instructions. When I need something I check the website, then I call to see when he'll be around. If I'm in a rush after confirming he'll be there I'll place the order online and pay for it as a Will-Call and swing by. He has also been incredible in the past and met me at weird or late hours to pick something up. The IMIM store itself is on the second floor and he's making good progress on it as of my last visit. Quite a bit of hobby-related stuff on the shelves to browse. His speciality seems to be Robotics but a lot of general model making supplies around too. Not some much on display for general electronics but the warehouse is just downstairs so if you know he has it in stock and he doesn't have bunches of customers upstairs he has no issues grabbing parts from the warehouse. I have to reiterate, you need to read the website. Local store. One person. Hard to cover everything by himself. My hope ( and I'm sure Al's ) is that the storefront gets enough traction to warrant an employee. He's got a bunch of space and a lot of possibility.

I am working on a project that requires a microcontroller running a a servo. I was interested to…read moresee this store show up, and thought it would be nice to support a local hobby/electronics business. I tried to visit last week, but it was closed and appeared empty. Realizing that the store had some idiosyncratic operating procedures, I called the number on the web site. The person who answered was positively discouraging of a visit. He wanted to know what I was working on, and told me that he didn't really have any stock out to look at. I suspect that this is really a mail-order business, and references to it as a retail outlet are misinformed It would be nice if the owner changed his website to reflect that fact.

I've gone to Lefty's twice this week (and have called them three times) just for Yugioh Rarity…read moreCollection V (such a great set btw). On Monday, I called to reserve a box of RA05, and the older gentleman there was kind enough to hold it for me. Came by and bought it, and was in and out of the door. I actually pulled the overframe Super Polymerization. I felt so good about pulling that, I called them again the next day to reserve another box. The lady that picked up let me know they were running low on RA05, but let me know I'd be able to purchase it before the end of the day as she reserved it for me. Sick. So I came by, got the box and six loose booster packs... and pulled a Starlight overframe Shooting Quasar Dragon. I gave the box to my homie, and he wasn't so lucky with his pulls, unfortunately. I haven't been to Lefty's since 2022 (when The Grand Creators and Ghosts from the Past 2 were out), but I intend on returning for new YGO releases. Love their vibe and the pricing on RA05 was pretty fair. I plan to be back again!

First time checking this spot out and great selection of everything from sports, pokemon, and etc…read more I bought a few 151 pokemon packs and prismatics. Pulled a gold card off a prismatic and that was pretty awesome. Value on the pokemon is was above msrp so just an fyi. Friendly staff that let you choose the packs you wanted in the pile. Im eyeing one of the sf giants legends signed ball for the future!

I had no clue of what I needed other than an SCX24 for myself and a gift for my nephew. Will was a…read moregreat help and salesman as he wasn't trying to upsell me on the many mods I could get with my purchase and was able to help us navigate which type of micro RC crawler was suitable for an 8yo. His honesty made us feel comfortable about what we needed to purchase and was very welcoming to the RC community, by welcoming us back to tryout the facility they have there, which was pretty dope. As a Noob, it could be very intimidating walking into a store full of equipment and not knowing what to get. My wife and I felt none of that, as we were helped with great service and left knowing that I'll be coming back for parts later. The indoor track and "crawl park" (if that's what it's called), was very impressive and the atmosphere was welcoming along with the patrons that were there. Spend your money here if you're looking for great knowledge & service as well as a place to run your RC.

A Christmas Review Story…read more.. I went here to find gifts for boys ranging from 5-23yo. I came out with a perfect haul of more than just stocking stuffers. NorCal has a wide range of gifts that are hobby grade toys. They're not your typical Target/Walmart toys but a little better quality for not much more. I love the selection here. Service is key for hobby stores. NorCal excelled today as I was a little unsure how some of these hot wheels looking cars work. A man with Xmas lights necklace came out and showed how fun they can be. A 1:43 scale car can drift right out of the box! One dude started showing off a tiny RC drone, and another was busy helping a customer on RC parts. I don't know how they can staff so many people but they sure did today. Although I was expecting each gift item to be around $50 for each gift, there were some really cool micro gifts like remote control hot wheels for about $25. Last year I bought some RC warbird planes for about $100 each. I didn't see them this time around but that's ok. I want to give a proper review outside of Xmas shopping. I'll return when I'm ready to upgrade my Traxxas truck.

Resealed packs. I…read morebought a White Flare (JP) and Team Rocket (JP) booster box and found that two cards belonged to the Terastal Festival collection I don't have video proof of opening these boxes. These were the first boxes I've ever bought and opened them with some friends, but when I put them in a scanner neither original collection showed up. Thought it was an error, did some googling on these cards and the serial numbers - Terastal. If they respond, they'll call me out for lying - I have no reason to do so. In my lifetime I've now opened four boxes and two were resealed, apparently

I've been coming to Classic Materials for years! When they were in Tanforan Mall and now Stonestown…read moreGalleria. This store is tucked in the mall on the 2nd floor not too far from the Food Court and Target. They have a great selection of Sports Memorabilia, Funko Pops, Hot Wheels, collector cards, toys and more. I specifically like going there for their collectors items. I even remember meeting Klay Thompson and other Golden State Warriors current and past players when they used to be at Tanforan Mall. The team working at this store is great, especially DJ who is very helpful and knowledgeable of the products he sells The store gets fairly busy, however, DJ is always attentive to his customers and makes it a point to help the customers find what they want/need. The store is very clean and organized. The prices there are reasonable and I never leave the store without making a purchase! Never found myself dissatisfied with any of their items! Highly recommended! My kids love going here too! 5 stars!

I needed several waterproof shelving. Went to TAP plastic and had them cut to specification. The…read morestaff was very helpful in both guiding me in the materials that made sense and the thickness that I should use. And the cherry on top was the fact that the staff were very friendly and fast.

I wanted to get a piece of glass replaced from a small heart shaped frame that was broken. The…read moreframe and photo have priceless sentimental value to me. The frame is about 6 inches in size and replacing the glass would be a custom job that would cost about $200.00 from a framing shop. I tried Michael's as well but they also said no, it was a custom design. I wanted to replace the frame cover with Plexiglass for safety and durability and a glass job was too expensive. Home Depot does cut sheets of Plexiglass to size but nothing custom in design. I contacted TAP Plastics in San Mateo and they told me they could do the job in Plexiglass and a small job like that could be done in a few minutes. I brought my frame to them and within 20 minutes I had a custom cut piece of Plexiglass that fit perfectly. The best part is - it cost me $16.55 to get it done. The staff there is super friendly and helpful. Jameson did a great job for me and I can't thank him enough. It's a small job but it meant so much to me. I would use these guys again if I am ever in need of a custom job like this. Thanks Again TAP Plastics you guys are the Best!

This is the only spot I know they have the bricks organized in the pick a brick section…read more Technically they have loose and organized but still. Awesome if your looking for something specific and I was looking for just that. Thank you so much for this spot for having that separated and allowing a quicker easier ease of access. I was able to build a small hallway of the Disney Rise of the Resistance ride. Epic and memorable. This place is definitely staple for me. Pricing wise, I believe it's 0.25 a brick and 0.50 a long slab. Personally it would be cool if they charged a bulk price for a full cup, that's my only little gripe. But the people here are friendly and will help find anything they can that's within their means.

Large second hand Lego store with a large display of built sets, minifigures, pick a brick bins,…read moreand tons of sealed sets with fair pricing. Everything from one dollar to the big boy Star Wars sets. Was able to pick up a retired set that I'd been eyeing for a while. Could spend ages in here.

Great Service and Staff. I enjoy assembling 1:35 scale polystyrene military vehicles…read more I had some technical questions regarding model paints, shades, and washes. The individual i spoke to spent a very generous amount of his time informing me about the issues I had with particular model paints, stains, and finishes.

Best service and advice EVER!!!!!…read more Bruce, Hunter, Aidan, Tim. Always have knowledgeable advice on anything I pursue. Be it street, off road, or in the air they know what I do and don't let me get into too much trouble. They cover all the bases. 5 stars in not enough to rate this place!

The hobby shop with everything! Board games, miniatures,…read moreTCGs, TTRPGs, paint and hobby tolls but way more. they also have toys for kids, models, gunpla, kites and more niche hobby supplies. Staff is helpful and knowledgeable. Great space with food right next door.

Found this place using Yelp! It's the only true, old school hobby and game store in the area. The…read moreowners are friendly and helpful. I have not built a real model in 40 years and had lots of questions and they answered them all and gave me some good tips. The prices are good, and they have a pretty good selection. They have a loyalty program raffle card they punch for every purchase.