The Anik-Anik phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down in 2025. If you missed the chance to shop at the first Pop Mart pop-up store last year, here’s some good news: the novelty store is returning just in time for Valentine’s Day.
PhilSTAR L!fe got the chance to get a first look at the new pop-up store set to open on Feb. 14 at the third-level concourse of SM Makati.
Aside from the popular Labubus, some collectible figurines you can check out are the Hironos, Skullpandas, and the latest releases of Angry Molly Love on Fire, CRYBABY Crying for Love Series, and other Molly Pieces, like the Mega Space Molly 400% Huang Yuxing.
The space is pretty straightforward, the shelves feature blind boxes of different characters. On display are the Mega series including Mega Space Molly 400%+100% Squid Game, Mega Crybaby 100% Queen of the Broken Heart, and Mega Space Molly 400% Smitten Love.
You can also check out characters from other films and series, such as Inside Out in the Cube series, Kung Fu Panda, Toy Story, and anime characters in Naruto, Demon Slayer, and Jujutsu Kaisen.
The toy company has recently opened its booking system to accommodate first visitors on the official opening day on Feb. 14 and 15. A maximum of 720 customers per day will be allowed to enter the pop-up.
If you didn’t get to secure a slot, the pop-up store will be open for walk-ins from Feb. 16.
Jeremy Lee, Pop Mart Southeast Asia Business Director, told the media that the new pop-up store is their second and “probably last” pop-up store for this year.
“I think after this pop-up, we’re gonna focus our energies on permanent stores in the Philippines,” he said.
Lee previously told L!fe that the opening of the pop-up in the country comes as Southeast Asia is filled with lots of young people and folks in the creative industry.
“There’s a huge affinity with the creatives, with creatives, being attuned to design or fashion and styles. That’s why I think the Philippines is a great market to come into, especially [because] Pop Mart is all about art, entertainment, and culture,” he said.
POP MART is a Chinese toy company that produces collectible designer toys like Labubu, MOLLY, Hirono, and CRYBABY, often packaged in “blind boxes.” It has stores in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the U.K., among others.