Last week, we were lucky enough to get to attend the grand opening party for my favorite television show’s store that has FINALLY come to the Las Vegas Strip.
Nestled in between the giant M&M’s and the MGM’s Lion you will find The Stranger Things Store, full of a lot of cool memorabilia and gear for even the most passive or die-hard fan of the Duffer Brothers show that premiered back in 2016 and has made a huge impact on the cultural psyche of not only the US but the world over all; especially with last season (Season 4) and the addition of Jamie Campbell- Bower as the big bad himself, Vecna and Joseph Quinn as everyone’s favorite D&D playing metalhead hero, Eddie Munson.
When we got the invite, I wasted no time accepting and with local musician and sometimes ZRockR writer Dominick Muzio in tow who is also a fan of the show, we embarked upon dealing with the mess that is the current situation of the roads in Las Vegas to get down to the fabulous Vegas Strip for the events of the evening.
To paraphrase a quote from Eddie, “this store has everything to basically well…” no not kill people like the War Zone in the episode “Papa” (S4 E8), but to deck out in gear from Hawkins High, The Hawkins Public Pool where Billy Hargrove once was a lifeguard, The Rink o Rama where El/Jane smacked Angela with a well-deserved skate to the face, The Arcade, and even Vecna’s attic in the Creel House and of course, there is the Byers’ home front room complete with the Christmas Lights alphabet (that isn’t for sale) and other assorted goodies for your collection!
The store is divided into sections and each section has not only goodies for you to purchase and peruse, but you can take photos too! You are greeted by a Welcome to Fabulous Hawkins, Indiana banner made to look like our own sign on the South end of the strip that greets visitors to Las Vegas; and another area with that familiar darkened sky with red lightning and bicycles, complete with banana seats and chopper handle bars, and a sign that says entering Hawkins for photo ops or, if you survived the decade of New Wave, Max Headroom and MTV, a bit of reminiscing about your own bike perhaps.
As I say, there is the Byers’ front room, which was fun to go through for not only the items available for purchase such as 010’s Magic 8-Ball or a collectable vinyl copy of the show’s soundtrack, but to look at the time capsule of 80’s memorabilia like a CRT TV and VCR complete with video tapes, some Atari game cartridges, a science book we can only assume was Will’s (Dominick said he had the same science book back in NYC in 5th grade), and the GE Alarm Clock Radio about everyone had back in the mid 80’s, but there is the couch and tables and chair and you can take a photo on the famous couch!
There is also The Arcade, with working Centipede and Dig Dug arcade games (the photo booth was out of order that night), Hawkins High’s Hall with trophy case, bulletin board with Will’s missing poster and a call to join The Hellfire Club, and lockers with books and memorabilia, the Creel House attic complete with Vecna and his tentacles hanging from the wall, and if you go into a side room from there (that you will miss if you aren’t paying attention) there is a huge Demogorgon coming through the wall.
There is the Star Court Mall area where you can grab an ice-cold Surfer Boy Pizza bottled water or one in support of the Hawkins Tigers.
That particular evening there were themed hors d’oeuvres (I need the recipe for the Demogorgan Meatballs and the Hawkins Lab Buffalo Tempura Cauliflower if anyone has it!) and also themed cocktails (I went for the Dungeons and Dragons vodka based one) were served as well as beer and other beverages, while you perused, danced, played video games, took photos and shopped.
We have to give a shout out to DJ CRYKIT who was spinning some fabulous 80’s tunes (on vinyl NOT CD or a MacBook!) from the show and beyond that made me want my MTV all over again like it was 1985…
The evening was really A LOT of fun!
The store is open to the public and it costs you nothing to go in and look around! It is conveniently located in the Showcase Mall, 3785 S Las Vegas Blvd Suite #102, Las Vegas, NV 89109 with off-street parking at the Showcase Mall Parking Garage which is immediately past the walking bridge overpass just past the Hard Rock Cafe (pay attention or you will miss the turn!). It truly is an immersive shopping experience centered around the Stranger Things universe the Duffer Brothers created and the recreated sets and locations are perfectly done. The store is open 7 days a week, Mondays – Saturdays 10am-9pm; Sundays 10am-8pm and definitely worth going down to the strip if you are a local to check it out, especially if you are a fan of the TV show or popping by if you are visiting our strange city. I know I will be back again. I have to get my chops back playing Centipede and there are a number of things calling to be added to my collection…. like that Timex watch! And yes.. I really do want a Viva Las Vecna shirt…
You can find out more about the Stranger Things Store or the various locations (gates?) globally where it is currently opened at the store’s website which you can find here- https://strangerthings-store.com/
You can learn more about DJ CRYKIT or inquire on hiring her for your own soiree here: https://www.djcrykit.com/
PHOTO CREDITS: All photos by Sylvia Lee for ZRockR Magazine ©2023 ZRockR Magazine- all rights reserved with the exception of the cover photo which is used with permission and courtesy of Netflix/ The Stranger Things Store – all rights reserved