Time Tunnel - Store Visit (Old location)

NOTE: THE SHOP HAS A NEW LOCATION.
ADDRESS: 1583 MERIDIAN AVE.San Jose, CA 95125 USA.
(The below post is being preserved for posterity.)

It’s nice to bounce back with some good news on the toy store front. Today I visited a venerable old shop (23 years old and counting) that is not only defiant and standing, but thriving. 

The shop is called Time Tunnel. This San Jose, California fixture has faced the tide of the Internet onslaught – which has helped lay waste to the Northern California vintage toy scene – and come out standing tall. Time Tunnel is proof positive that people like to look at things in person. During my brief visit, there was a constant stream of shoppers.

First, the store details:

Address: 532 South Bascom Ave. San Jose, CA 95128

Phone: 408-298-1709

Hours: Tues-Sat 12:00-6:00 PM (Closed Sundays and Mondays)

Website: www.timetunneltoys.com

Note: On the store's page, it says to call them before heading over to make sure they're open, since they do travel for events, inventory management, etc. 

Time Tunnel has the look and feel of a Japanese “showcase shop,” but what’s different is that unlike showcase shops, where people rent cases to sell their things, the stock in Time Tunnel is all Joe’s. The super friendly owner will happily chat about toys, records, magazines, or other pop culture goods.

The stock is vintage, mostly from the 70s-90s. It ranges from toys based on old American TV shows and movies to Japanese tokusatsu toys. Along with the Star Wars, Transformers, GI Joe, Power Rangers, and other goodies, there’s also a good selection of posters, paperwork, magazines, and records.

I had a great time checking out the shop, chatting with Joe, and picking up some cool tokusatsu paperwork. 

More store photos and info after the jump:

It's time to play the music!

 Here's what I picked up:

Besides running Time Tunnel, Joe is also behind the San Jose Super Toy & Comic Book Show, which gets several thousand visitors. It looks like the show is held several times per year, in March, August, and December, so it kind of has a California Super Festival vibe to it. They use this blog to post  info about new shows.