We’ve been a fan of Japan Video Games for some time now. We first discovered them about 9 years ago when they were the go to place for Japanese import games, accessories and systems.
Like many stores in the game industry, JVG has had to change with the times. Due to fluctuating economies and currency exchange rates as well as the ever-evolving needs of customers, they’ve transformed from a mainly game related store to what we lovingly refer to as “Plushie Heaven.”
As soon as you walk through the doorway, you’re greeted by soft, colorful characters such as Mario, Hello Kitty, Professor Layton, Mega Man, Snorlax, and much, much, more.
Just as fun as the various personalities who welcome you inside, is the young lady who runs the front of the store. She’s bubbly, a great conversationalist, and knows, in detail, about each piece of inventory. She can talk pricing, what’s currently in stock, what’s coming in next, and the subtle differences between the American and Japanese versions of each toy.
Although games aren’t their priority in-store anymore, they do still have a small presence. There’s also a wall of gaming accessories and several figures, like this adorable, stackable Kirby.
As wide as the variety is in-store, JVG has even more offerings on-line. They advertise 1200+ hard and softline toys, anime, character goods, apparel, and lifestyle accessories.
Besides being a retailer, JVG also distributes. They’re a great resource of import goods for store owners and/or those who sell at conventions. (If you’d like to become an import reseller of their products, apply on their website to see if you qualify).
If you’re ever traveling to or through the Alhambra area, we hope you’ll stop in and look around this wonderfully fun store. Or, if you can’t visit them in person, check out their website. You just might find that figure, plushie, or other charming collectible you’ve been looking for.
NOTE:
Pricing/Inventory currently in the store may vary from what’s mentioned in the article. This information is from our visit in June 2017.
Offerings:
In-Store
Plushies
Figures
Gaming accessories
A small assortment of video games
Miscellaneous toys
GBA Videos
On-line
Puzzles
Figures
Plushies
Apparel
Posters
Cushions, keychains, & other lifestyle accessories
They offer pre-orders for certain items
Standouts:
Terrific customer service.
The largest assortment of plushies we’ve ever seen in a retail location.
High quality products.
An ever-changing variety of toys, with new items coming into the store each month.
Great pricing – For instance, we bought a large-sized Toad plushie for $19.99 that was $5-10 more expensive everywhere else we had looked.
In addition
A vast on-line presence of 1200+ items for sale which can be bought by end users or resellers.
JVG distributes to retailers, large and small.
JVG provides a way for U.S. retailers to obtain import items without having to buy directly from companies overseas.
JVG is always on the lookout for new vendors who sell products they can import/distribute.
Location:
1509 West Valley Blvd.
Alhambra, CA 91803
626-281-6188
If you’d like to see more pictures of inside the store, check out our galleries on Instagram.
(Kirby Pic Source: japanvideogames.com)
