Pop Mart Launches Third Las Vegas Store as Labubu Toy Craze Takes Off

The popularity of Labubu figurines continues to rise, with Las Vegas emerging as a key hub for collectors. Known for their "ugly-cute" aesthetic and sold in blind boxes that fuel a surprise element, Labubus are part of a growing trend in designer toys combining Japanese art influences with collectible appeal. First introduced in 2015 by the Pop Mart brand, Labubu saw a significant boost in popularity during 2023, primarily driven by viral social media exposure.

The excitement surrounding Labubu is reminiscent of earlier collectible phenomena like Funko Pop, which also fused vinyl toy design with pop culture and art. As with previous waves of collectible mania, the mix of scarcity, distinctive style, and artistic collaboration has created a strong following.

Local businesses are capitalizing on the demand. One Of Us Comics in Henderson, Nevada, began expanding its inventory about a month ago to keep pace with growing customer interest. "I've been doing this for so long… you see these trends come along, and when I saw this coming I'm like, okay, this is gonna have some life, it's gonna last for a while… so I dove all-in on it and started getting us about a month ago now, to where we carry every blind box that they offer as far as the main ones… in stock every day," Johnston said.

With collectors traveling from nearby regions, including California and Pahrump, the impact on local retailers has been significant. "The reason it's been great for our business is for us as a small comic book store, it is bringing eyes to the store that would not have normally found us or looked for us," he shared, "We plan to sustain it for quite some time."

Las Vegas is further embracing the trend with a third Pop Mart retail location opening today at Downtown Summerlin, joining existing stores in Fashion Show Las Vegas and Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian. "What's funny is that, you know, we see this all the time. When Funko Pop, like, really took off, was kind of under the same parameters. And that is, when you get Japanese art and vinyl toys or designer toys paired together, that has always been a win-win in the world of toy collectibles," he said.