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Categories: Toy Stores, Art Galleries
Neighborhood: LakeviewSouthport (Brown)
Tue-Fri. 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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This is not the shop for kids with ADD - their brains might just explode from all the possibilities. And don't walk in unless you plan to be there for a while, I don't think a trip can last less that 30 minutes... not if you really want to take it all in.
Whether planning a Futurama theme party or needing an original ALF trading card, Uncle Fun is guaranteed to give you all the 80's kitsch flashback you need. This is the spot to go for fun party favors, perfect birthday presents, and great gag gifts. Don't be afraid to open drawers, move things about and dig for treasure. Remember your Grandad's basement and all the amazing discoveries you'd find therein? Well that's Uncle Fun, only luckily without the funky mothball smell.
lots of completely random stuff in every single bit of the store.
need a keychain with a pig that poops when you squeeze it? they have it.
need a random Buzz Lightyear...thing...? only .25c! [i couldn't figure out what it was.]
need random oversize sunglasses? sparkle sunglasses? '2010' sunglass? they have them all and more!
there is also a large selection of books and postcards and bobbleheads and tons of gag gift stuff all for cheap.
So many fond memories of this place. I still get excited when I'm driving by, especially when my mother's in the car with me, because a lot of her birthday presents in my younger years came from here. Rubber fish? Check. Over-sized purple fuzzy dice? Check. A giant (about 2 ft long) toothbrush? Check.
It was kind of a tradition. My mom's friend (from elementary school) used to take me here to birthday shop. I'm now convinced my mom must have picked on him growing up, because he encouraged me to buy EVERYTHING!
Seriously though, the photobooth pictures on the wall always make me smile. The abundance of Simpsons crap always caught my eye. Gag toys were my favorite buy and the employees were always great!
Some things can get a little costly, but honestly, you can find so much unnecessary crap for cheap how can you NOT buy it?? I love throwing in little trinkets from here with birthday or Christmas gifts for friends, and I've found some of the most random things here that my friends (collectors of one thing or another) LOVE!
When I was big into collecting PEZ dispensers I found many of the more unusual ones here. I'll always love this place, and this is one place I definitely will be sad if it closes because I have so many great memories tied to this store.
I was passing by along Belmont and stopped in to the renowned Uncle Fun. First of all, its in an old building and has old fixtures so there a sense of old fashioned fun. The place is loaded with stuff so beware if you are clausterphobic and likewise do not go in after a night of heavy drinking for the place is sensory overload. On my visit I saw army surplus gas masks, Jesus and Obama bobble head dolls, and a giant inflatable cockroach. You are guaranteed to walk out with something because this is a place where you will find stuff you didn't know you needed.
This place reminds me of elementary school during my phase of being obsessed with magic tricks and playing tricks.
It's the kind of place you go to when you want to buy stuff you don't need but love to buy (and no to all you boys who think I'm talking about shoes or clothes) like fake knife stabbers, rubber insects, bacon floss, fake barf...
I know it's gross but cool right?!?!! I had crazy fun at Uncle Fun!
This place has some fun stuff got to check it out if your in the area
While I doubt this place needs another positive review, I'm writing one anyway. It is impossible to not have fun in Uncle Fun, And make sure to set aside at least a half hour-there is way too much here to just pop in and out.
It's the perfect place to get a little trinket or gag gift for someone's birthday. I loved all the childhood faves-Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles galore! Plus I nearly died at the packs of New Kids trading cards-awesome!
Definitely check out Uncle Fun for some fun. Everything is priced pretty fairly and will definitely make you smile.
This place is one of a kind! It houses some great finds, including vintage charms and toys. I have spent hrs going threw the many drawers they have packed to the brim with, you name it, and come out with some of the coolest things ever.
Best finds here include.. ALL of my christmas tree decorations. My boyfriend would these wailing monkeys which we bought 10 of and covered our tree. A few of our friends actually swiped them off out tree!
A little known fact is that ALL of the posters are for sale. We got 5 posters for $2 a piece! My favorite has to the "SEX RELIEVES TENSION" and a almost mad magazine "esqe" 70s bolwing scene poster!
If you want amazing gifts for the person who has EVERYTHING dont miss out!
I love that there's a drawer labeled "Miscellaneous" among the numerous labeled drawers filled with miscellanea.
Recently, I have been wanting one of those things that makes a bunch of annoying noises at the push of a button. They have one with different Mr. T. quotes. Some day, when I can justify paying $10 for something like that, I will claim one.
Until then, I will be content with cheaper random stuff and weird books and stationary.
Dear Uncle Fun,
I would like to marry you and have 8 gazillion of your little Uncle-Funny babies. Your library catalogue card holder box thing- better known to hold little cards with the dewey decimal system on them- is the best invention ever. It is like Christmas every time I open a drawer not knowing what I will find. A severed baby doll head? Mr. T button? A California Raisin figurine? Michael Jackson puffy stickers? The possibilities are endless and really I can never guess.
Your collection of bobble heads will never cease to amaze me. Captain Crunch, Tony the Tiger and the Trix Rabbit all reside in my kitchen and coexist in harmony upon a shelf.
Please do not ever leave me, it would be a very sad, lonely day in Chicago without your utterly nonsensical existance!
Forever Yours,
Schmerica
This place is hilarious. It reminds me of the store Matt Damon on Minnie Driver visit in Good Will Hunting - you know what I am talking about? Perfect for a date or with a couple of fun-loving pals. They carry everything from random books, cake toppers, adult and kiddie toys, fake tattoos, magic tricks, etc. A great place to visit if you are in need of a gift for a fun-loving person or party decor (even Power Rangers party decor - oh yes they did!). Prices can be a bit high since some of their items are considered "vintage." Didn't stop me from buying a New Kids on the Block neon green coffee mug, circa 1989!
First, Pee Wee Herman would love this store. Love it.
Second, I'm adding this to the list of ways to entertain my nieces and nephew when they come to visit me.
Third, I love that the employees don't hate life. They were genuinely in a good mood and appeared to like their jobs. Yay, for that.
There is so much fun stuff in this store. Bacon band aids, a parking fairy figurine to put on your dashboard, and my favorite-- funny gum. One said something like, "I say it's time to take my birth control and then I pop one of these in my mouth." And finally, they have garbage pail kids cards.
There are many Jesus items. You too, could do a Jesus bathroom like John B.
I get kind of tired of kitschy stores that are just like all the different kitschy stores. Uncle fun is definitely different. They have real stuff (i.e. not all that fake kitsch) and at cheap prices. It's the difference between Panda Express and real Chinese food.
Everyone there is super friendly and they give out nice reusable shopping bags. I've bought something every time I've been here, and I don't buy stuff just to buy stuff. Great gift ideas here too. Go now!
I dare you to go to Uncle Fun and not purchase something. Even a quarter can get you an item that will brighten your day. Going through this small, overly crowded store will easily provide you with a good hour of entertainment as you try every gadget and laugh at every knickknack. The staff are just as amusing (and helpful) as the store. Uncle Fun is the perfect spot for picking up an kitschy gift for someone.
Turbo kitsch. Crazy. Odds and ends. Somewhat useless shit.
It's a great place to take a date- that sounds cheesy, but we walked out of there with crazy shit, masks and made a day of it taking photos of our crazy finds. Brings out the inner kid in ya.
I have to say that their book selection is pretty decent. I've found some interesting outsider/ folk art and otherwise eclectic books in the back. Great finds.
It's a great haunt especially if your into making dioramas or shadow box art. Lots of little rubber and plastic figurines, animals, etc.
Cool retro postcards too. Slap a readymade frame on it and you got wall art, that's far more original than anything from urban outfitters and ikea combined.
Most important advice: have fun.
Hooray for Uncle Fun!
Friendly staff, fun toys, humorous magnets, random books...what's not to love?
HIP HIP, HOORAY!
My goodness gracious, I could spend all day inside this small wonderland. As soon as you walk into Uncle Fun, you feel as though you have entered the catacombs of silliness and all that is obnoxious and fun. They have tables and tables and drawers and shelves of good old prangster comic relief. I'm going to share a small list of some of the oddities and things that I've gotten from Uncle Fun:
-neon rubber finger puppets with many arms
-Jesus bandaids
-notepads that with an old school TV dinner photo on them
-a pink plastic tierra to wear while cleaning my place
-an albino figurine
-a monkey/Bush magnet
-a magnet with tribbles
-a bar mitzvah boy figurine
-candy smokes
...just to name a few. There is surely something to be said about a store that fills old library codex biblio-whatever holders with little plastic toys and snakes and aliens. Come on people, break away from the daily grind and let your inner kid/nutcase come out at Uncle Fun.
On a mildly more serious note, they actually have a pretty neat selection of books and art books in the back.
Uncle fun is my favorite one stop shop for presents. Whenever I am at a loss for a gift idea, Uncle fun has the answer.
Located near the corner of Southport & Belmont (Across the street from Schubas) Uncle Fun caters to old and young alike, as long as they are slightly demented or have an excellent sense of humor. The shelves and aisles are overflowing with kitschy and campy chachki's. My young nephews receive gifts from here often and it always keeps them happy and playing for hours. I recommend that everyone visit this place at least once to sooth the inner child, even if it only to laugh at the inventory.
Browsing through Uncle Fun's shelves is like stepping inside Pee Wee Herman's brain--everything's whimsical, weird, and wonderful (ooh! alliteration!). The goodies crowding the store from floor to ceiling (warning: it's crowded as hell on weekends) range from cheap little knicknacks you'd find in a Cracker Jack box, to toys you had as a youngster, to whacko stuff that either fell of the back of the truck, or just never sold (Ricky Martin lunchbox, anyone?). I've never gone into this place without leaving some of my money behind, and I always laugh my ass off at tons of new discoveries I've made.
The last time I was here I bought incense, a smoking baby, a Snoop Dogg doll, and a Crazy Cat Lady action figure.
And really, isn't that all one needs in life?
I feel bad for anyone living in Chicago who has not been to Uncle Fun. I love having no idea what insane thing I will totally find and need when I come here. Good place to find strange things that are fun. They once had a summer garage sale and I bought this large talking Jim Varney as Ernest Doll for my sister. It said "Ewwww" and "Hey Vern". It was perfection. This is also just a great place to get tons of fun postcards on the cheap. I love how comfortable and happy I feel when shopping in this store.
Never has the word "hodgepodge" been more aptly used than to describe Uncle Fun's toy selection. Imagine a cross between that magic store in Pee Wee's Big Adventure and Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Now cram it into a smallish shop. Uncle Fun is, in the words of Audrey Horne from Twin Peaks, "the concentrate they make [sweetass fun] concentrate from."
For the science-minded, fun-curious skeptics out there, kiss my deduction:
All toy stores that sell Telly Savalas postcards r00l. In 2003, I bought a Telly Savalas "Who Loves You, Baby?" postcard at Uncle Fun. It follows that Uncle Fun r00lz. Quod Erat Demonstrandum.
OHMYGODILOVETHISPLACE!OHMYGODILOVETHISPLACE!OHMYGO DI LOVETHISPLACE!
I've gone here alone and with the most twisted of all twisted, Dave Medusa and I pretty much always have a laughter induced stroke as a result. I laugh until I cry and buy silly things I don't need but they make me laugh and thats all good.
Imagine the craziest things in the world the most cynical, twisted mind (kinda like me) could come up with, packaged and for sale. Tis so delightful.
This is the perfect place to go to relive your childhood...if you're into that sort of thing, which I am. Toys are everywhere, and most you've forgotten were ever in existence. It's pretty mind-blowing, actually. I don't know where Uncle Fun gets his hands on this stuff, but I am impressed. I spent about 1.5 hours just playing with everything. I don't think I would buy anything for myself, because it would most likely take up space in a drawer collecting dust. I would definitely purchase something as a nostalgic gift, however.
i seriously could not believe how much awesome stuff is crammed into all those drawers. i vow to return each time i need a little something for myself or a gift for those who are impossible to buy for.
and um, free pop rocks monday? yes please!
ps, the staff is ridiculously nice too.
This place is awesome. It brings back the favorite parts of my childhood. I used to BEG my dad to take me here on weekends and I'm pretty sure he had just as much fun as I did. I'm still extremely surprised none of my friends' parents complained when we gave out goody bags at my birthday parties with those fake cigarettes that emitted "smoke" when you blew out.
Uncle Fun is fun. A few years back I had a Jesus bathroom, and a substantial amount of the decor came from Uncle Fun. I was able to find a whole series of 8x10 prints than showed two altar boys attending a priest through the various stages of the mass. (It was a set of 18, but I was only able to find about 14.) I also found a little 8 page children's book about Joseph, that referred to him as the "foster father to the son of God." Priceless.
Now mind you, it took some serious scrounging to find these things. But that's what Uncle Fun is all about. It's a tiny store loaded with stuff. And while even a casual browse will reward your efforts, a little digging will bring true treasures to light.
As you might expect, the people who work here love it, and it shows. Not only are they friendly, but they are REALLY into their stuff, and very happy when you are too.
There are 8 billion things I love about this place, but my favorite....
is a framed picture of my aunt (that passed away many years ago) and myself taken in Uncle Fun's photobooth (which is now across the street at Schuba's) in the mid 80's. We put on funny hats, I colored my teeth and hair hot pink. This picture is still up at Uncle Fun around the door with all the others. The frame around my picture is baby blue.
When I first moved to the city I stumbled upon this place, wondering if it was the same place my aunt took me as a kid. I asked the staff where the photo booth was (long gone) and I turned around to scan the pictures. There I was! One of the employee's said, "That's one of my favorites! You look so happy!"
Everytime I walk into this place - I revert to the same 7 year old that's in the picture. If there was an actual, tangible "Happy Place" one could go to - this is it. I promise you will always find a basketful of things that you never thought you'd need.
The staff is wonderful! They're funny, friendly & extremely knowledgeable about the products :)
Some of my favorite Uncle Fun finds: NKOTB travel coffee mugs (I got a whole set!), a hip hop magnet set, lots of books, pins (Snoop Dogg, Bon Jovi, Beavis & Butthead), Prince Purple Rain stickers, Fraggle Rock invisible ink coloring book, Sesame Street sun catchers. I could go on and on. I just wish they'd get some shrinky dinks in!
Dear Uncle Fun,
I love you Uncle Fun! I wish you you were one of my real life uncle's 'cuz everyone should have an uncle like you.
You have the most amazing collection of novelty items, bobble heads, and bizarre stuff that I never knew I needed until I walked through your front door. I could spend hours at your place going through all of your cool stuff. Thanks for being there for me.
Your New Nephew,
Dave
Uncle Fun rocks! If I ever want to go down memory lane to the early 80s when I was a snot nosed 2nd grader that was into holographic rainbows and pipecleaner bees and funky erasers, I come here. I swear I saw a Trapper Keeper once.
When my nephew was into spiderman, I found a life-sized blow-up Spiderman and got it for his 7th birthday. I think my sister was horrified that I bought him his first blow-up doll. Yeah, I'm his cool Aunt Jerry.
So everyone and his or her uncle has reviewed Uncle Fun. Still, stopping by here is really a good time. I could peruse for hours and just giggle to myself. I usually buy a boatload of things I don't need but MUST HAVE for fear I will never come across them again. For instance, I once had to buy a "There's Always TIme for Jesus" clock. I thought it would really spruce up the ol' kitchen. Little did I know, Jesus' ticks were so noisy, I couldn't sleep! I guess Jesus REALLY wanted me to make time for him! Luckily, the clock made an excellent gift at my friends' annual White Elephant Party. . . until someone was offended (only mildly). Curses, Uncle Fun.
There are lots more PC (and un-PC of course) finds at Uncle Fun. Bring the whole dang family and you're sure to lug out a crap load of. . .well. . . CRAP (but crap in a good way)! Remember to snatch up those rare gems you may NEVER find again!
Uncle Fun served all of my random toy needs! I was hoping to liven up my drab cubicle with funny weird stuff, and not only did I find plenty of things to scare my co-workers with, but I had a great time picking it all out!
At the front of Uncle Fun there are small baskets you can use to load up with toys, and the best part is walking around and opening up random drawers to see what treasures lie inside. If you're going to visit you should plan on spending at least a half an hour there to really check everything out.
Just going to Uncle Fun brightened up my day, so I suggest it to anyone who wants to put a smile on their face - with a pair of wax lips.
I bought my first gnome at Uncle Fun.
God rest his soul, poor little Franklin fell off of a fireplace mantle at a bar after being gnome-napped & being force-fed one too many Guinness on St. Patrick's Day.
I intend to find his distant cousin at Uncle Fun & keep his memory alive.
I think I will bring my next date to Uncle Fun, and we will frolic in the land of cat clown stickers, holographic postcards of Jesus, fake rubber ears and hands and fingers, Mr. T keychains, and other treasures.
They've got a nice and little-known space for readings upstairs.
But now, a story. The last time I was here, a friend needed a fake hand for a directing scene but they were out. So the kindly staff member said "I've got a hand at home you can borrow - it's slightly used, but will still work." And he did. He brought us his slightly used rubber hand. That's customer service.
One of my all time favorite Chicago shops. You never know what you're going to find when you walk in here. It's also easy to spend a lot of time looking around because there's so much stuff in the store!
Great place to find small kitschy items for a theme party, art projects, or anything else you can think of.
You're also likely to walk out having bought something you just had to have but you're not even sure what you'll use it for.
I love to blow time and this a great place to blow time. Don't expect to walk in thinking you'll be there for just a few minutes. ADD kids, like myself, won't get bored. If there is anything that you want and know that you don't needed, but will still buy just because...this is it.
As a child I had to touch everything and play with it while ma told me to put my hands in my pockets. With all of the toys, books, posters, masks, trinkets that are there you can't help but play or look at it.
Junk toys that you had forgotten about after so years fill up the little drawers. If you are looking for a gift for someone and don't know what to get, you'll be sure to find something CHEAP that will put a smile on their face.
A must for any short attention spanner...even if you walk out there with troll doll pencil cap after a few hours of looking.
Hooray for Uncle Fun, sole reason it's such a massive undertaking when it's time to dust!
My dad used to take my brother and me here when we were little, so there's been ample time to amass Uncle Fun goods. Now I take myself to Uncle Fun when I feel I need some kazoos or maybe some kind of weird skeleton eraser or a spider ring or a glow-in-the-dark whatever or some other totally random unnecessary things that I badly NEED. Like fake crappy rhinestone rings of that bendy metal stuff that turns your fingers green. I LOVE those things.
You could spend hours in Uncle Fun playing with all sorts of crap you don't need, but that you absolutely must buy just to make life a little happier. I bought my friend some coasters at Uncle Fun, one of which has an illustration of a little girl farting, another with the same girl kicking a fellow in the nads. My friend cracks up every time she looks at those things. And I crack up every time I look at this one vintage-y postcard I bought of root vegetable people, sloshing beer steins and singing. You can't find drunken root people just anywhere, folks. Only Uncle Fun can give you what you really need.
It's the place I've always dreamed of. Weird toys of all kinds, pins, buttons, books, postcards, silly nick-knacks, a really cool little store.
I always come here for silly birthday gifts for my friends and you can find the coolest stocking stuffer toys.
Cool Asian stuff too, bizarre journals in Engrish with non-sensical sayings.... fun.
The staff is ALWAYS cool too, they don't follow you or make you feel uncomfortable in any way. No attitude except for a good one.
I hope this place stays open forever.
Sick. It's just sick how much I can spend in this place on a bunch of "stuff". I still cherish with all my heart, the Beatles poster I bought here years ago, right off the wall. And my feed-the-beast coin purse keeps me in constant change. The place is just chocked full of fun and warrants a bi-weekly visit. If this place offered grilled-cheese sandwiches, I'd be here every night. Bring your polaroid and get happy. Still affordable finds even in our shit economy. I special ordered a case of gummy head cheese this morning. Ted, get off that bagel bus and expand Chicago's love of your uncled up world.
Toys, toys, toys!!
Who doesn't like toys? They bring us back to a time when life was perhaps a bit simpler and we were probably happier, and we can recapture some of that youthful happiness again at places like Uncle Fun. In addition to novelties, action figures, tricks, & gags, they also carry lots of cards and books, buttons, magnets and other assorted knick-knacks, which I always love. The atmosphere is slightly cluttered but in a cool-old-junk-store-overflowing-with-great-stuff kind of way; to clean it up would kill it.
The best toy store I had ever seen prior to moving to IL was Toy Joy in Austin, TX, and Uncle Fun is at least on par. Great for gifts, random fun or as a pick-me-up if you're feeling down.
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