Beijing-Based Art Toy Giant, Pop Mart, Makes its U.S. Debut at South Coast Plaza

Beijing-based pop culture and art toy company Pop Mart just made its U.S. debut at the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. Its new 2,148 square-foot space features a bevy of art toys, or designer toys—collectibles created by artists and designers that are either self-produced or made by small, independent toy companies—based on classic characters by designers like Kenny, Pucky, Ayan, Skullpanda, along with Pop Mart's original creations like the Dimoo, Labubu, and Molly series. Shoppers can also expect to find Pop Mart's collabs with Disney, Warner, and Marvel.

In addition to a full lineup of Pop Mart products including art toy blind boxes (the contents of which remain a mystery until opened) and high-end Mega Collection collectible toys, the store features an interactive section and a Mega Collection exhibition area that offers visitors an immersive experience.

Expect new releases like the Skullpanda X The Addams Family series to range from $12.90 to $68, blind boxes to range from $12.90 to $19.90, and Mega 1000% collection toys to range from $199.90 to $1,249 for the highly sought-after Skullpanda Thaw.

At one point, trendy collectible art toys were by and for indie artists. Now, with millennials spending like never before, these fun and unique designer toys are reaching new eyes and retail markets worldwide. Needless to say, consumers' awareness of art toys has reached a new height and Pop Mart is one of the pioneers in the space, bringing art toy designs from 2D to 3D on a mass production basis.

To expand its offline retail presence, Pop Mart is proactively developing its online presence through its website and ecommerce platforms, allowing it to deliver its fantastic figurines to 53 countries. In fact, it launched two Robo Shops (think toy vending machine meets photo booth) and a pop-up in Australia in 2021, and its first European store in London in January.

"The influence of American pop culture on a global scale cannot be underestimated, and young people advocate individual expressions. Pop Mart hopes to light up passion and bring joy, establishing close connections with…young people through more diverse ways," says Justin Moon, who's both vice president of Pop Mart and president of Pop Mart International.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the global art toy retail market grew from $8.7 billion in 2015 to $19.8 billion in 2019 for a compound annual growth rate of 22.8%. And in a couple of years, it's expected to reach almost $42 billion, far exceeding other cultural and creative industries.

Founded in 2010, Pop Mart has established a broad platform for art toys by prioritizing its discovery of new artists, IP development and operations, consumer-reaching, and business incubators. Today, the company has over 350 stores in 23 countries and regions and over 1,800 Robo Shops around the world. So it's safe to say its stateside debut at the South Coast Plaza will be the first of many brick-and-mortars to come in the near future.

Pop Mart at South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 92626