As soon as you walk into Uniko on Valencia Street between 22nd and 23rd streets, you are engulfed by a wide array of blind box-themed merchandise.
Hello Kitty, Labubus, Miffy, Smiski, and Sonny Angel are among the characters on display. Blind boxes, for those not in the know, are figurines sold in sealed packaging that conceal the specific figure inside, making each purchase a surprise.
Nowadays, they are having a viral moment on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, fueling a boom in the unboxing craze. The latter is a style of video in which creators, searching for blind boxes featuring their favorite characters, capture the suspenseful moment of opening a mystery toy.
The appeal appears to lie in a blend of design and mystery. Collecting them has become a lifestyle of sorts, so that shops like Uniko have become a destination, not just another retail point.
Popular at such places as Pop Mart and Sonny Angel, independent curators such as Uni Choi, the owner of Uniko, have opened boutique-style stores to meet demand by offering curated selections, aesthetic displays and community experiences.
At Uniko, it is easy to get lost in the details of every carefully curated piece. The space is intentionally designed to evoke a museum-like experience: You can observe, but you can also shop for what you see: Perhaps the voice in the back of your head is urging you to take that Labubu bookmark home.
At the center of the store, a wooden table displays Miffy, Sonny Angel and Smiski blind boxes, a goldmine for blind-box aficionados.
“Stumbling upon the store isn’t great for my wallet, but having a store nearby is much more convenient,” said Sondhayni Murmu, 28, who lives in Glen Park but spends a lot of time in the Mission District.
Murmu was surprised to discover a nearby store selling blind boxes, since she usually has to travel to Daly City or Japantown to shop for them.
The fascination with blind boxes began in Japan in the late 1980s and 1990s, building on the popularity of capsule toy vending machines, or gashapon. Brands like Medicom Toy, Sonny Angel and Re-Ment elevated the concept with more design-focused offerings. By the 2000s, blind boxes had become part of Western toy culture.
What might you find within? Labubus are mischievous creatures with oversized heads and wide, toothy grins that bring a playful, punk-inspired edge. Sonny Angels are cherubic, nude figurines with whimsical headgear ranging from fruits to animals, while Smiskis are tiny, glow-in-the-dark figures posed in everyday scenarios, often hiding in corners.
For her part, Choi says she is an artist who expresses her creativity by making stickers and keychains. But she also comes from a family of restaurant and small-business owners who encouraged her to merge her artistic talents with entrepreneurship. That lead her to start Uniko roughly about a year ago.
The Mission was the perfect location, since no other nearby stores specifically carried Smiski and Sonny Angel blind boxes.
Outside the Mission, you can find blind-box items in Japantown; the Stonestown Galleria, where Pop Mart is located (and where shoppers are guaranteed to get authenticated blind box items); Tantrum in the Richmond; Cliff’s Variety in the Castro; and Scribbledoodles and Wink SF in Noe Valley.
Price competition abounds.
The cost of blind box items can soar in many of these places. Typically, a Sonny Angel retails for $10 to $12 on the official website. Retailers who resell these items often mark them up to sell for $20 to $30 or more. Limited-edition characters can resell for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
At Uniko, Choi sells the Sony Angels and Smiskiis for $15.99.
For Choi, Uniko isn’t just a business. It is a canvas and a chance to build community with other artists and creators.
“I found this place by chance, and knowing how hard it can be as an artist, I also carry other products from local businesses and artists in my store,” she said.
Uniko had a soft opening in March and a grand opening in June. Although there are no official store hours yet, Choi, the store owner, opens the shop every day except Tuesdays.
I want to be Japanese.