Freddy Funko welcomes you as you enter the Funko Hollywood store. Notice the striking indoor waterfall, which serves as the beautiful backdrop to the Black Panther™ statues and cycles through 300 gallons of water. Have you spotted the small hidden figure among the rocks on top? If not, we won't spoil which character to be on the lookout for, although we will go through a handful of the Easter eggs incorporated into the building design and sets around the Funko Hollywood store.
For example, the names of some of Funko's build crew are hidden in the designs around the store, as well as the number 98, the founding year of Funko. Randall Harvey, Funko's Fabrication and Design Lead, listed off some of the names to be on the lookout for, “Haba, Harvey, Havlik, and Schwartz. Sounds like some kind of dodgy law firm from Jersey, doesn't it?”
If you follow straight into the store, you'll find yourself in the Guardians of the Galaxy™ set. A small figure of Mr. Stan Lee is hiding somewhere in this area. Have you found him? Many of the decorations and props in this set were objects found by the build team and repurposed into the set's design, including the top of a Volkswagen van. Harvey shared,
“After the build team was done scouring the thrift stores and junk yards near Everett and Marysville, [we] took [the] strange haul back to the shop and got creative. A couple of mailboxes became a jet pack. The top of a Volkswagen bus was combined with a waffle iron and some chicken feeders to make a giant Atmosphere Purification Unit, or APU. Car parts, old industrial fans, the sleeper cab of a 1964 semi, a baby gate…it's all there if you know where to look.”
Peer inside The Little Mermaid ship and you'll see a Pop!-styled skeleton and hidden treasure. Tucked next to the Disney™ set is Toy Story™. While in this area, if you look up at the top of the bookshelf, you'll see a giant light switch. You'll feel toy-sized next to the statues in the room and the set was built to scale you down to size. Have you checked the statues shoes? Let's just say, you won't find a wad of pink bubblegum….
Further in the store you'll find yourself in the Wizarding World™. Sit down with Harry, Ron, and Hermione to discuss the last lesson. If you look up at the balcony, you'll see Dumbledore moving around in his portrait on the wall. Take your time observing the area, if you move too fast you might miss Pickett, who's hiding amongst other Fantastic Beasts™!
Have a seat in the Hall of Justice™ as the Justice League™ is ready to respond to the next threat. When you leave the Justice League™ meeting you'll pass through an icy terrain and then stop at the gate of a jungle.
The dinosaurs have broken out of the park! Jump in with Dr. Ian Malcolm and escape the grasp of the 16 feet tall, 3,000-pound Tyrannosaurus Rex statue. Harvey said,
“Way back in the early part of the design phase Brian Mariotti, Funko's visionary CEO, declared, ‘Wouldn't be awesome to have a T-Rex smashing through the wall!' However, the build crew knew, even then, that putting something this large and heavy in a building located in a city with a history of earthquakes was going to take a little doing. That is to say: design, engineering…more engineering, architectural and structural review…and review…and review. It was one of the very first ideas to be locked in, but, because of its complexity, one of the very last to be installed. Brian added the flying debris just days before the store was set to open. It really adds to the moment, though. Don't you think?”
Once you've escaped to safety, you'll find yourself in Funko Studios TV sets. The Freddy Funko statue in this set is holding a director's clapboard which says “Take #2” and is dated with the Hollywood store's opening to commemorate Funko's second store. Don't forget to wave hello to the Freddy bot working behind the scenes above the sets as you pass through to the Fright House set.
In the Fright House set you'll see the headstones in the graveyard feature the names of iconic visual effects artists. A few feet away from the sewer you'll find Jason Voorhees stepping out of a shack that features props found by the build team. Harvey shared that for his build partner, Robert Schwartz, Senior Environment Designer for Funko, this project was a dream come true. Schwartz said, “We actually don't have a ton of product that falls under this category…so, on the face of it, the house wasn't necessarily a natural-fit for the store. But we had to do it. This is Hollywood, after all. And getting the opportunity to put our own spin on this was just a real joy.”
Park your speeder outside the cantina and make your way past the troopers to get to the stands. The two suns of Tatooine™ shine over the sandy storefronts in the Star Wars™ set. Try your luck and have a seat Greedo™, but be on the lookout when heading back to your speeder; you may see Jawa statues peering down at you.
Immerse yourself among some of your favorite Saturday morning cartoon characters and advertisement icons after exploring the exciting Wetmore Forest. On your way back towards the entry, enter the arena of Anime & Games. Make sure to stop and pose with all your favorite statues and sets all around the store.
Share pictures of your trip and favorite parts of the store by posting to social media. Be sure to tag @OriginalFunko on Twitter or Instagram and use the hashtags #FunkoHollywood.