Kimono My House
Category: Toy Stores [Edit]
1424 62nd St(between Doyle St & Hollis St)
Emeryville, CA 94608 (510) 654-4627
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
8 reviews
Albany, CA
"I go there once every 2 weeks. I'm a 32 year old kid and the stuff at this place has something for everyone. I enjoy getting the joke stuff…" read more »
18 Reviews for Kimono My House
My poor kid (8 yrs old) is the ultimate trooper....he will tolerate the early morning shopping trek to the Emeryville warehouse sale for his dear mom. As we were walking to a nearby cafe for lunch, we saw the sandwich board street sign for this shop and there was no mistaking the word ANIME. So we decided to check it out. After huffing and puffing up a few flights of stairs, we made it to the rooftop shop with the slightly worn lifesized anime characters manning the entrance. And that is not all....the inside of the store was even better! Absolutely TONS of stuff that will transport you back in cartoon time (KIMBA! MUTTLEY! ) or take you to places unknown (if you do not know what or where these guys came from!) Probably the best part was the guy behind the counter who knew practically every character and theme and story line of almost every Japanese cartoon/anime/manga known. Well, maybe not really, but he knew more than me (not hard) and that impressed me tremendously. Plus you could tell how passionate he was about his subject and THAT always impresses me. Seriously, we tried to describe some little toy that my son had and the guy knew exactly who we were talking about, what show he was on and the guy's occupation! Of course he could have been making it up and we wouldn't have known, but you cannot fake that kind of enthusiasm!
Five stars!
Kimono My House is an unreal TREASURE TROVE of import collectibles. Seems totally out of place, but this place is PACKED with trinkets, on top of a random warehouse. Just a plain, nondescript building on the corner.
I never leave empty handed. Did I need a small plush Totoro trinket with a leaf umbrella and a green sac and a Sailor Jupiter transform brooch and pen? HELL YEAH!
Some people may say WTF, and others may just blow their whole paycheck here.
Best store of its kind, outside of SF Japantown and El Cerrito/Richmond Pacific East Mall.
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An old school gen Xer anime fan's wet dream come true in the form of a rooftop small business antique store! I swear you need to bring tissues the moment you walk in as something will come out of your body, one way or more.
F the new age of anime, whether it be anything that ends in MON, or the lame crap after the 90s as well as American dubbed horrors, we're talking Macross, Mospeada, Orguss, that robot with the #17 on its chest, the robot with the lion on its chest, Voltron, the 5 tigers that make a robot, the OG transformers, this red robot with eyes that looks like part buttcheeks part Volkswagen bug (VERY old school), ultraman, space adventure cobra (psycho gun and babe magnet), astroboy, the original Mobile Suit Gundam from 1979 onwards, doraemon (Japanese Felix the Cat), and even Totoro era Miyazaki to name a few.
Dare I say they might even have the Micromen and Micronauts by Takara toys as well...
This is a collectors and antiques store at the same time. If you grew up during the 60s, 70s, or even the 80s and played with Japanese die cast metal toys/robots and the ilk, chances are you REALLY played with them and/or tore off a limb, lost a missile, used up a sticker and abused the hell out of it, unlike geek and business like collectors of today who buy toys just to store them away and hope they will increase in value.
The owner of the store if I remember correctly is Yuki-san who really knows his stuff, and is an uber fanboy himself (I figure he must be in his 50s or older now, since I have not stepped foot in here for 10 years).
If you want to relive that part of your childhood, do check this place out. While there are tons of shops like this in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and and Japan, I say this store is one of a kind and you will not likely see such a vast and awesome collection. Great eye candy, but if you do want to relive your childhood at home, it will cost a pretty penny (e.g. in 97, Roy Fokker [and boy is it tempting to change that o to u] VF-1S skull leader Takatoku battroid was a whooping $300 in VG+/M- condition). Collectibles from the past are pricey, because they were not produced in mass quantities, were in quality, and of course now rare because a lot of people threw away boxes and abused/played with toys. You certainly won't see your local Toys R Us junk being priced at $300 for a now $6 item in 20 years, that's for sure.
Sadly there's no market for old school animation soundtracks on LP, I've got quite a few Macross LPs that I bought from Japan in the 80s, still in very nice shape. KMH turned them down. Even the beautiful Orguss theme song jukebox 7" with the cute gal on the cover. Or Lynne Minmay painted cover on the Rhapsody In Love x2 LP box sets. Doh?
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Returning to the Bay Area on the search of Gundam Models (yes the comic book geek/anime nerd comes out once in a while). I came across this place on a google.com search and me and my old friend Brian decided to check this place out.
What's notable is this place is located on the rooftop of a 5 floor loft, making it very interesting location. The place is owned by an old Japanese man who was pretty bored until me and my friend came over. However for the anime people here's what they have in stock when I went there about a week ago....
(-Gaogaigar (for all my anime mecha 80s-90s heads)
-Gundam Models (Z, F-91 and all circa late 80s early 90s; no Gundam Wing or Seed/Astray Models avaiable)
-Ultraman
-Godzilla
and more...)
If I were into those things alone, I would have been jumping for joy. Sadly all I was looking forward to was the master grade Gundam Wing, Seed, or Seed Astray models just to rebuild and enjoy my childhood for once.
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If your into vintage Japanese collectibles, back in the day when toys were made out of die cast metal, then this is a great place to visit.
It's a bit of an adventure to find the place; you hike up several flights of stairs in this industrial looking building. On the roof, there is this small room which is filled with some of the most bizarre toys and collectibles you'll see outside of Japan.
Sure, many Japanese collectibles are available through on-line stores like Hobbylink Japan and Big Bad Toystore; and they are usually less expensive on-line. But rare items quickly sell out on-line. I found and item here that I couldn't find anywhere - not even on EBay. Plus they have many vintage items I never knew even existed.
The guy who works there is nice enough; he's always watching the Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon everytime I go in there. While he does have a credit card machine, it is often not working, so cash might be best.
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Part of this place's charm is its inaccessibility. It's on the roof of a building- you have to climb three or four flights of stairs to get there. The proprietor is friendly but for the most part uncommunicative.
But Kimono My House is Old-School. They have Anpan Man. They have all the old-school Macross toys, including the Zentraedi battle pods and officer pods. Godzilla miniatures. Bootleg tapes of 1970's kung fu shows. The "Go Riders."
Anime stuff- the complete selection of Urusei Yatsura figures.
And they have the more obscure new stuff- I saw some Pinky Street here.
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This little east bay gem is a hidden treasure. This place has everything that your little otaku heart desires! I have been coming to KMH since the early 90's and no matter how old I get, I still walk the narrow, toy-filled, aisles in awe. A tip for the first-time visitor, enter on the 62nd st side and walk all the way to the top of the stairs (3rd floor). Don't wander around the 2nd floor. Also, there is a private parking lot in the back on the 63rd st side. Its available to all customers of the various businesses in the same building. Enjoy!
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Stumbled across this place during lunch. Quite interesting... Quite a surprise... I had no idea this place ever existed even though I have worked in this area for many many years. The locale is definitely a huge attraction. Although I do really enjoy Manga and other Japanese anime, I'm no collector, but, this place certainly had a lot of cool stuff that I haven't seen in other similar shops. The prices also seemed a lot more reasonable than other shops I've stumbled across.
Upon arriving at Kimono My House the first time I actually began to dance. Such was my joy. I highly recommend making a list before you go. It's pretty easy to get overwhelmed.
The outstanding stock in this shop makes up for it's out of the way location.
I just went there. It's a wonderful toy/specialty store, but you have to be into the Japanese anime (which you must remember includes favorites like Totoro) and monster genre. It's not easy to find, so be sure to check out their Web site for directions. You have to walk up three flights of stairs (and there are no signs outside). Once you get there, you can't miss it. They had a giant Ultraman downstairs. Also, the place is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly.
Go and enjoy!
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Sailor Moon is one hot, under-age chick...and there are tons of creepy old dudes that will tell you the same thing. You can meet them here, at Kimono My House.
I love this store. It's hidden away in a nondescript building on a quiet street, and you have to walk up a couple of flights of stairs and past a kiddie ballet school to get there, but it's worth the huffin' and puffin'.
When you walk in you're immediately immersed in a land of magical Anime characters, all of which are yours for the taking...for a semi-reasonably priced fee, of course.
The guys here are awesome, and boy, do they know their Japanese Anime. At any given moment, there will be a bootleg copy of some random, extremely rare Japanese import playing on their little television. You can literally get sucked into the vortex of this place...it's chock full o' fun.
Oh, and they also have a very impressive collection of Godzilla paraphernalia, too!
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Anime, this way!
Seriously. I went over here to cop a vintage Totoro musical figurine for hottie. I was happily in over my head. This place is so over-the-top, only Gamera hisself might shrug his shoulders nonchalantly. If you are into anime, Japanese monsters, TV, and crazy toys, this is your place. The owner is way friendly and will politely school you on anything you need to know.
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If you are a single woman in the market for geeky guys then this is a place you should go up the stairs to.
Way cool selection of Ultraman stuff.
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I'm giving this four stars because it is such a fascinating store, and it must be mecca for anime fans. To get to it, you climb to the third floor of a warehouse building, and walk across the roof, through a desert roof garden, and into the little store at the back. I was a little disappointed, myself, because I was hoping to find a general assortment of Japanese toys and books, and almost everything here is specifically anime related. The owner is extremely friendly, but I wouldn't say this store is for the casual browser. Standouts are the great plastic anime masks by the front door, and some random tiny plastic McDonalds food models.
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I hate going up all the stairs here, but if you can get past that this place has an extensive selection of Japanese cartoon toys, DVDs, books, t-shirts, you name it. If you or your kid are into Godzilla, this is a great place to start or complete your collection. If Astro Boy is your man, he's here too. I've seen Totoro, the Cat Bus, and many other unique and hard-to-find Japanese collectibles in this shop. The people that work here are extremely helpful too.
Oh, and I have to agree with an earlier poster: this is more for the hardcore animation/anime freak than the casual browser. There is so much stuff piled into this shop that it helps if you know what you are looking for.
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Best selection of AstroBoy toys and novelties (keychains, etc).
Yes, it is tricky to find.
This little store in a nondescript warehouse in Emeryville is the best place to find Japanese toys as well as videos/dvds of anime and classic Japanese cartoon and live action superhero shows. The store itself is not that big, but every inch is filled with something awe-inspiringly cool. While a lot of the items are imported from Japan and can be expensive, you will definitely find some bargains, too. Make sure to note the address/cross street before you go because there is no storefront, and the only thing that will indicate KMH's existence is a sign they put out on the sidewalk. If you're stumped on finding a gift for someone because he/she's too hip, then this might be a good place to start.
Amazing collection of eclectic toys from Japan. Didn't really find kimonos that I would want to add to my wardrobe, but Astroboy/Atomboy was a find! Other stuff that my friend loooovvved and spent a nice bundle on. He said they were "collectibles"..whatevahhh.
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