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Aahs! Gift Store
Category: Event Planning & Services Cards & Stationery Shopping Arts & Crafts Cards & Stationery Shopping Flowers & Gifts Cards & Stationery Cards & Stationery [Edit]
1090 Westwood BlvdWestwood, CA 90024
Neighborhood: Westwood
(310) 824-1688
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
40 reviews for Aahs! Gift Store
40 reviews in English
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Review from Zoie H.
3/22/2012
No me gusta the bad reviews.
I find Aahs! to be an awesome place where I can load up on over-priced "do I really need this?" crap. The selection of beer pong glasses and 72oz. steins are impeccable, the Power Rangers shirts bought a tear to my eye, and the wall of USC memorabilia made me laugh.
Hey, it's Aahs! It's nothing great, but the staff didn't hound me and I found some reasonably priced edible panties for a gag gift *shifty eyes*. Whatever. -
Review from Mark G.
5/20/2012
Let me get this straight: Westwood Village has no bookshops but it has a giant store that sells nothing but stupid, useless, plastic crap?
Please go out of business soon. -
Review from Chau V.
3/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
There are a variety of gift options here, from cute stuffed animals, dolls, apparels, costumes, stationery, to LA/Hollywood souvenirs, even to exotic sex toys and such.
Bad quality!
Overpriced items!
Horrible customer service!Listed in: UCLA Life
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Review from Charles D.
Santa Monica, CA
2/13/2012
I remember when AAhs! first opened in Westwood and there would be lines down the block to get in! Yes, we're talking ancient history here, the early-mid '80s. It was over on another street and was filled with interesting gifts, gag toys, stuff that was WELL MADE and funny, not cheap, knock-off crap and insulting to your intelligence. Add to the fact that it (the one in Westwood at least) seems to be run by one humorless, penny-pinching family and you have the makings of a real "has-been" over-the-hill type of junk store filled with fall-apart items you can find at the .99 cent store or any junk-novelty type of place.
Thanks for the memories, folks, too bad you suck. -
Review from spooky s.
Beverly Hills, CA
12/22/2011
Beware of their store policy and don't listen to what the salespeople tell you. I bought a $50 item for my daughter and was told by the sales guy that even though the store has a return for store credit only policy he would take the item back if it wasn't right. well it wasn't and he wouldn't. so I am stuck with it and the owner is rude and couldn't care less if her customers are happy.
I also bought another item for $18 and then saw it at Amazon for no more than $12 at many different places. -
Review from Christopher H.
Pasadena, Los Angeles, CA
3/4/2012
Aahs! was so much better when I was a kid. The one in Westwood is kind of small and the merchandise is not as cool as other stores. I've been in here like 10 times and walked out empty handed every time because the stuff here just sucks. However, I find it hilarious that they sell USC merchandise 2 blocks from UCLA.
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Review from Michael N.
Loma Linda, CA
9/26/2011
There is quite a nice selection of goodies here, from UCLA, USC (yep!) and Lakers goods to Hello Kitty. The prices are average for most items, and overall it's a decent shopping experience.
That is, unless you're trying to buy something advertised in a newspaper (such as the Daily Bruin). I bought a piece of UCLA gear I saw in the DB, to find out later that the price I paid was not discounted as advertised. I went back to the store to get a price adjustment, but I was told I had to bring in the newspaper to get it. (The way the advertisement is designed does not suggest it is a coupon.) The SKUs the coupons are good on are also tricky; in one case, it was only on a certain size of shirt (not all the sizes of the line). I got the sense that the manager had no idea an advertisement had been taken out and/or she did not care to sell the items at a discount.
If you're looking for UCLA apparel, I would happily recommend the nearby 901 Westwood. No advertisements there, but much better selection and great prices and service. -
Review from Maricris P.
Los Angeles, CA
7/31/2011
I went here to buy a green lantern shirt and an angry birds board game.... The way I shop I look things up online first to compare. so this store always has coupons that are like 30-40% sometimes even 50% to 60% but every time I go there, without the discount everything is 4-5 dollars more than it should be so even with the discount you are only playing the normal price you would pay at walmart or online! what a rip off! I ended up not buying anything.
The angry birds game online is 15 bucks here its $29.99 what a RIP!
this place is OVER PRICED for its cheap quality goods! -
Review from Elizabeth C.
Los Angeles, CA
2/21/2011
I'm not difficult to please. Really. Throw me in a room with innuendo laced fortune cookies and wind up Obama dolls, and I will be able to entertain myself for the better portion of an afternoon, eventually spending way too much money on some trinket I will manage to break in less than half an hour. Guaranteed.
Which is why, in theory, at least, Aahs! is an excellent franchise*; it caters to those of us of the immature six year old bent. Awesome, no?
"No" is right. As it turns out, the standout of this Aahs! is the singular ability to make a shopper--even a happy-go-lucky moron hellbent on wasting money, such as I--feel like a six year old who just learned about the evils of shoplifting at Mormon camp: self-suspicious and guilty, even as his innocence is reflected before him (seriously, I'm talking about the big mirror).
Super cereal, guys. The staff is exactly as bad as you've heard, paranoid and wary, multiplied by a million and then tripled. One can scarcely walk through an aisle without being hounded by suspicious looks and yet more suspicious throat-clearing, even when she carries no purse or oversize coat and touches nothing because she totally knows that the dude in the vest thinks she is going to somehow walk away with half the contents of the store in her miniskirt.
I'm not used to being treated like a criminal. And anyway, everyone knows that when I do eventually go to prison, it will be for either buying hookers or money laundering.
One/one and a half stars--I must give Aahs! credit for the amount of amusing tacky shit it offers--rounded down to one because I am callous and feel like stealing that half star back.
*serious question: how many locations must one store have for it to count as a franchise? I've been led to believe by a drunk of vague credentials that the answer is twenty, but I've also been led to believe that it is rarely a good idea to listen to either drunks or people with vague credentials. But that doesn't mean you should stop reading this review or anything. No siree. No siree @t aldjffnen55ksdnfd###Listed in: I Can't Go For That
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Review from Henry C.
Los Angeles, CA
1/3/2011
MANAGEMENT FAIL
Vita, Manager (1/3/11)
Their customer service has always been something left to be desired.
Today... has to be my worst experience yet. I purchased several mardi gras masks for New Years and didn't open/use one of them. As a result, I wanted to receive store credit as their receipt clearly states that they do not do refunds.
No problem.
I go in and am refused the credit as they supposedly do not exchange/credit seasonal items. The receipt clearly states that they do not for "seasonal clearance items". Seeing as how I paid full price, I walked back into the store. Conversation went as such:
"We do not exchange Halloween costumes"
"It's not a Halloween costume. It was on your New Years wall and as you can see there is nothing that notates Halloween on the packaging or this wall."
"Well we don't exchange masks at all"
"You receipt says that you exchange costumes within 14 days and it's been only two"
"I don't like it when you people come in, wear the mask and try to exchange it after"
"What do you mean YOU people? I'm not a poor student and it's NOT opened"
She put her hand up to my face and said, "Excuse me. I will go ahead and let you exchange it this once"
If she hadn't said that she'd exchange it, I would've swatted her hand away. I've never met a manager that characterized me with "you people" nor put a hand to my face. I asked an associate what her name was. I'm writing a letter to the owner.
If you buy anything, expect it to be SALES FINAL ON EVERYTHING. -
Review from Donald R.
Studio City, CA
12/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place has everything fun! You can't get bored in this store. Every row has different types of fun things to buy. Reminds me of a Spencers from back home. They also turn it into a Halloween store during Halloween. Right now a quarter of the store is covered with Hello Kitty stuff.
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Review from Jean L.
10/26/2010
After going through innumerable Halloween stores these past two weeks, the last thing I want is another step-over-your-hands, hair-on-hats, split-open-bags experience.
The Halloween portion of this store is next to Toys R' us and across the street from the regular store carrying stuffed animals, cards, etc. By the way, when did CVS shut down? Where can one now get toothpaste and toilet paper in Westwood without hauling themselves over the hill to Ralphs?
I'd say only one 1/5 of the store was really great - the garden and outdoor Halloween decor portion. They have the space for it and really went all out with the displays of graveyards, arms in meat packaging and hanging spiders. *wince*
Otherwise, you have the kind of inventory that has been clearly squished into all deformity by the human hand in order to see if that eyeball really does pop back up (alas! plastic packaging does not). -
Review from mimi w.
Beverly Hills, CA
Updated - 1/14/2011
My last and final experience in the west wood aahs location was in September when I bought a hello kitty thermos for my daughter. I took her thermos home, opened the unopened box that they had given me and realized that the seal on the thermos was damaged. I returned to the store the next day wanting to exchange the thermos for the same item, they said they didn't have the same item for exchange.
What kind of store sells you a faulty item and doesn't stand behind their merchandise? This one. Which is why I won't ever shop at this store ever again. Too bad for them because I have spent hundreds of dollars at this store over the years.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/18/2010
I have spent a lot of time in this particular location and spent quite a bit of money there, but… Read more »
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Review from Holly C.
Huntington Beach, CA
10/26/2011 8 photos
This store has it all.......Party supplies, Candles, Bacon Products (yeah random) I love Lucy and Sports memorabilia, Hello Kitty items, Twilight stuff, Rings, Sunglasses, and SO MUCH MORE. Basically its my dream store! Some items are tad bit overpriced but this is LA and its close to UCLA so yeah.......
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Review from Emily S.
Haters! What's up with all the 1 or 2 star reviews for Aahs! What did Aahs ever do to you! HAHAH
This place is SO COOL!!!! Check out the pictures I took. There's something for E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E!! YES! You too!
There's plenty of mini sections for things like Star Wars, Super Mario Brothers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Dodokun or whatever that brown thing's called, Lakers, Dodgers, UCLA, USC, Jesus, Justice League, even things from the Hangover! :P
There's a bunch of cards for birthdays, valentines, you name it. You could spend a long time in this store with all their toys.
Sadly, I didn't buy anything though. :P But if I were to buy something for someone, I'd come here.
And yeah, this place is just like a Spencer's Gift... but bigger. -
Review from Javier J.
8/25/2009
I can't for the life of me think of a time when I came in here for anything specific. It's normally a stop to kill time before a movie or if I'm waiting for someone to show up to grab some dinner. Certainly has been a place to kill some time before a class. Simply put, this place is the last resort to entertainment.
Oh yeah, and I guess you can find a halloween costume that will scream "WHORE!" here. I lost count on how many costumes you can attach SEXY in the front of and then just offer a couple of pieces of clothing in the plastic package.
Though I guess I shouldn't complain too much about that given that I'm a guy. But still, there's always one person I know who just insist that we go in there to check out ideas for a Halloween costume and we always leave wondering how Halloween was ever anything more than a socially acceptable reason to wear your underwear outside of your home.
Then there's the other worthless toys and gadgets that they carry and the over priced video game systems. It seems like everything here is overpriced by at least 20-30% than what you should be paying for it.
Add in you have a lack of any costumer service or any help trying to find anything in here and you have a recipe for some place you really don't want to be.Listed in: The worse of the worse
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Review from Bianca L.
San Francisco, CA
10/1/2008
So to me, Aahs is a store of one day.....the day after Halloween! I admit, I'm an addict, I go down to Aahs still drunk and wait for it to open, so I can rush through and buy every costume and accessory I can for 50% off!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this sale!
They have tons of costumes and every accessory you could want, for any theme party, or continued Halloween party throughout the year.
I do occasionally go into Aahs for gag gifts etc, but really, the day after Halloween, Aahs and I have a date every year.....Listed in: When you are a costume fanatic…
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Review from Daniela L.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2007
You could shoplift the entire store and the staff would never know it. When I was in college, cutting class and eating diddy riese cookies with friends, that was always the impression I had whenever I'd walk by this place....not that I ever thought about shoplifting...just that I totally know I would have gotten away with it had I wanted to.
I'm surprised this store still exists. I don't get it. It's a waste disposal for idiotic gag gifts, ugly t-shirts tourists wouldn't even buy, penis and boobie pasta and, judging from the last time I went there in June, about 100 Brazilian soccer shirts.
What a waste of a good location! -
Review from Ricky V.
4/29/2009
The store reeks of the pre-crumpled land fills that all this low quality product will find itself in. Every other costume is a huge stereotype and worse off its done poorly. I wouldn't have been surprised to find a silk button knot red shirt with buck teeth and chopsticks here.
Its like Spencers, The wal-greens card isle, and Hot Topic had an incestual mutant child that grew giant sized.
The Prices are horrible, the only time to find a good sale would probably be after halloween or Zero Creativity Day.
The staff is too old to give creative advice, are not open for dialogue, and the standard unimaginative uniform they wear affirms the shop is no place for ideas.
FTP -
Review from Joie P.
La Verne, CA
Updated - 9/20/2010
A little updated version for ya.....
During Halloween is the best time to stop in. They decorate like no other. Absolutely everything you can think of, they have. My favorite item that I've gotten here is my huge "The Chop Shop - Fresh Cuts Daily" sign that now hangs on the wall in my kitchen. Nothing like some skull n crossbone & bloody butcher knives to get inspired by!
During the "off season" ;) I have bought the kitschy stuff here and there. The best item has been my sons Beatles book bag. He loves it. Not to mention the soccer jerseys they sell even when it isn't World Cup.
Check this place out for some fun1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/5/2007
I could go two ways with this review. On one side you have the everyday sort of Aahs. Boring, full… Read more »
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Review from Kit S.
Los Angeles, CA
9/6/2006
You know that one kid who is impossible to shop for? You look everywhere for something and there's a lot of pressure because for your birthday he got you the coolest miniature ping-pong table, basically your favorite possession now and one you are considering declaring an heirloom and passing on to your progeny, only doing so might prevent the progeny part of the plan from ever happening.
Yeah that kid. Aahs is where you find something for him. Posters, gag gifts, Sex in the City trivia game sets, novelty tees and early bird Halloween costumes. It's sort of the kind of place you take your young relatives if they ever visit you and then after they leave you think about getting your tubes tied. But you feel guilty because you definitely bought yourself a doll -- oh, excuse me, *action figure.*
Right. Aahs also carries Angry Little Girls gear and products. -
Review from Jena S.
11/7/2009
I have driven by this a few times but I'd never felt as if I had to go in. Until tonight.
"You've never been there? Seriously?" he said.
As we walk in I feel as if I have gotten into a time machine. It's a giant Spensors.
"I'm afraid." I say with a glare.
"It's ok not all of it is this bad, trust me."
And it wasn't. There were a few quirky things there that weren't horrifically cheesy. Like the alarm clock that runs from you when it goes off and the flasks with pinups and snarky sayings.
Walking around, I didn't think I was going to walk out with anything. There were postcards in a back section of the store but they were 99 cents each and the same 10 or so I can get down at rite aid where I can get 5 for a buck fifty.
I did however walk out with something:
Buttons. The little Miss ___ ones on my bag o'tricks came from here.
Walking around with an Aquarius, I was not too surprised by what he pointed at. He picked up a nerdy fist toy. I texted my best friend. Oh god don't get me started. You Aquariuses know what I'm talking about so don't try and deny it.
I could have easily walked out of the place without paying. There is little to no security and the workers are ghosts.
While it was a fun place to walk around in, the disarray of the store and pure amount of American trash stuff there didn't balance enough with rad to do anything for me beyond the night.
I think I've been spoiled by the greatness that is Wackos. This is a bit too low brow for me now.Listed in: Travel trash
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Review from Mike V.
6/28/2006
Fill a store with fist-sized chintzy crap and you're practically begging shoplifters to skillfully deplete your inventory.
If someone ever buys you a gift from this place which does not assist you in getting drunk (with the exception of the blow-up bounce around room they have at the 3rd Street location), disavow their existence. -
Review from Jose N.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2007
I only go to this store if I have to. The staff is mean and void of people skills. You shouldn't approach the register to make a purchase unless someone is already paying. Otherwise, you will stand there and stand there while all the employees walk past you. They avoid eye contact, proabably in fear that you will call out to them and ask them to ring you up.
I also don't trust a store that has a high mark-up on their merchandise. I am all for making a profit, but they have the Nintendo Wii priced at $750. A Wii?!? That is a five hundred dollar mark-up!
A rip-off, tacky employees, poor service. You can find most of the items they sell there on the net for way cheaper. -
Review from Charm N.
Los Angeles, CA
11/23/2005
The staff here sucks ass! I remember one day after class I came in here to buy a card and this annoying sales dude kept shooting people with an air gun and when he got to me, I stopped and turned around slowly to look at him in disgust and dismay and he was shocked! Ahahahahahahaha! (evil grin) I guess I was the only one who gave him a reaction like that. And then, he proceeds to tell his fellow co-workers what had happened and they just shrugged their shoulders...like are they really gonna do something about it.
Ugh! I can't stand this place! I mean "Aahs, I know why this place is annoying." -
Review from David G.
1/21/2008
I think someone has said it already, but this place is Spencer's Giftshop on steroids. Spencer's is mostly perverted humor, but this place has more overall clean funny haha stuff.
Shirts with funny sayings, discounted halloween and christmas items, video game memorabilia, failed merchandise of past movies...they have it all. I was going to buy a Napolean Dynamite plastic wristband that said "Flippin' Sweet", but I don't people knowing my crush on him. They even have a section for USC attire and souvenirs. How brave of them.
The reason they only get three stars is because of the freakishly looking child mannequins behind the window displays and at the entrance. I hate that creepy shit. Those things will forever haunt me. I now sleep with a "blankie" and nestle myself within a fort of pillows on my bed. Ugh. -
Review from Cathleya G.
Berkeley, CA
10/28/2005 ROTD 5/26/2006
A store chock full of crap you didnt think you needed but you actually do. Generic halloween costumes? Great in a pinch! Penis pasta? Sure! Strawberry Shortcake memorabilia? Of course! Overpriced movie posters they surely got for free? Definitely! Disco Balls and annoying multicolored lights? Perfect for my decor! A must stop in for decorating your dorm room with...well, annoying crap. Hard to leave this place without buying something useless...although they do have a nice and extensive greeting card section that is unique and humorous.
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Review from Via G.
Beverly Hills, CA
10/10/2011
I actually read some horrendous reviews about this place, right before I had to try to exchange a defective $30 Mario back pack on wheels I bought for my son. 5 days after we bought, my son realized the reason it never stood up was because it only had 3 pegs and it needed 4, so I geared up for a major fight, to try to return or exchange this. They were 5 minutes late in opening the store, but when I explained what happened, she could not have been more helpful, she tracked another back pack down for me, called the Torrance location and had it sent over, 3 days later when it came, she called me, no hassle or any problems what so ever. She did ask if I noticed it being defective, I explained my son picked it out and I just paid, that was all!!! Very friendly and would highly recommend.
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Review from Casey C.
Cerritos, CA
2/17/2011
Terrible customer service!
Here's my story. I walked in today 2/17/11 and picked up a cupcake looking item. It fell into two pieces in my hand and one piece hit the ground and broke! I picked up the pieces to try to be courteous and then the manager, an older woman, tells me very rudely that I need to pay for it. I explained to her that I had not dropped anything, it simply fell apart! She calls security and they take me to a back room and basically intimidate me until I agreed to pay $5 to get out of there.
After looking up California law I went back to explain that even if I had dropped it, responsibility falls on the store because "you break it, you bought it" is not valid in CA. The manager said "I am not good with the law. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE LAW."
Terrible place, terrible customer service. I will be writing to ownership and company headquarters with my complaints. All this for a $5 after Valentine's Day clearance item! -
Review from Michael L.
Pasadena, CA
9/5/2006
I'm always been a sucker for weird and unique stuff and this is the perfect place for a sucker like me.
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Review from Tony T.
Los Angeles, CA
3/18/2007
This is a fun store that is a break from the norm. They have fun gag gifts like candy with funny names to T-shirts with 80s cartoon characters to some adult gag gifts like edible underwear. I swing by this place every once in a while if I'm in the area and it's just fun playing with all the craptacular stuff! There are also greeting cards with raunchy and funny sayings for the holidays or birthdays. It's a store of the weird and the fun. I always have fun going in and seeing what kind of junk they have that I can buy for someone. Don't take yourself too seriously when you're in there and you're all set. Have fun!
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Review from Kalvin C.
San Leandro, CA
7/7/2008
I realized that I could get a lot of this stuff anywhere. I wasn't too amazed by their selection but its not all bad, I thought it was way better than those souvenir shops in Chinatown.
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Review from Claire H.
Westwood, CA
6/1/2008
I saw Diane Keaton here. And that's about the only good thing I have to say about this store. It sells mostly those cheap, specialized little trinkets and costumes that you only want once a year - say at Halloween, which may be why it calls itself "a Halloween store". If you want anything pretty or useful though, you're not likely to find it - even such basic party items as ribbons and bows. Wander in here for entertainment if you want, but it's rather creepy and not even particularly cheap.
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Review from Tom R.
Los Angeles, CA
4/5/2009
I bought a book here yesterday for $15.99. Later, I peeled off the store bar code/price sticker and saw that the publisher's price was $14.95.
Plus the woman at the cash register acted like she was doing me a favor since I was taking her away from chatting with her friends. -
Review from Shannon T.
Santa Clarita, CA
11/12/2009
Went into the Halloween Superstore a couple of days ago because like most other stores, everything is 50% off.
What was good:
-There was still a lot of great things to look at and purchase. You would have thought that it being the 2nd week after Halloween all the good stuff would be gone.
-And well of course the 50% off!
What was bad:
-The 50% off was for the "suggested retail price", which if you ask me was absolutely outrageous! Example: A costume's suggested retail price may have been $130. Aahs "listed" the price" at $97.50. The 50% comes off the $130.
-Many items had no price tags at all so you were constantly asking a sales person to find it for you.
-the sales staff were...let's say zombies. Unemotional yet on the verge of being rude and had very little knowlegde of the products.
-Not allowed to open packages without one of the zombies oversight.
-No EXCHANGES for items purchased after Halloween. I can understand no returns but if the store is still open, why not exchanges? (I am upset because I DID want to exchange something today that I purchased 2 days ago!).
-Many items were broken and missing peices. -
Review from Linda F.
Los Angeles, CA
12/3/2009
My friend was accused of stealing an eraser which she had already bought! The man who accused her was supposed to be the security guard, but he was not dressed like one at all! He then screamed at us and told us to go back to the store. He showed us a fake badge and fake handcuffs as to prove he was a security guard. Turns out he did work there and my friend had never stolen anything. All he said was "sorry." He was very unprofessional. Plus, we were minors, and an experience like that terrified us.
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Review from Jon N.
Los Angeles, CA
11/22/2005
a gimmicky store. it's only use is when bringing people to LA for the first time and you just are walking around trying to kill time. a bunch of randomness that can be found cheaper elsewhere. the staff is pretty immature too, as they try to shoot you with air guns or blow bubbles in your face yearning for attention. sometimes they get a little out of hand.
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Review from Linda T.
Pasadena, CA
8/18/2007
Nice place to shop/waste time at. It's just like Spencer's but with better lighting.
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Review from hank c.
Cerritos, CA
7/17/2006
this place is so funny. when you had nothing better to do and you wanted to just fiddle around with things that would make you laugh -- AAH's was the place to go. i still remember when putting up those stars on your ceiling was the cool trend for all of 6 months back in like 1999 -- yeah Aah's had all the glow in the dark paraphenilia you needed back then too.
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Review from five s.
Los Angeles, CA
9/7/2009
This location carries a wide supply of party stuff, but the staff is rather rude. I had a custom order of balloons that I needed for a work function and they were not ready for pick-up on time. I asked if they could please be filled because I was running late, and needed to be at work-they acted like it was my fault and like I was wasting their time. Considering I already paid for the balloons it was so rude!!
