Seattle, WA

Archie McPhee, a long-dead real person, is the vaguely related figurehead of a booming mail order business selling pop culture discards. Defunct hero figures and heretical dolls. Novelty gifts and Tiki collectibles. Punching puppets.

You can buy stuff through the mail or via the web, but it's not the same as seeing this much nonsense tightly packed in one place. The store is an outgrowth of the Archie McPhee catalog business operating from Seattle since 1983 in the Fremont district. At the turn of the century it moved to larger digs in the Ballard district.

While there is a sprinkling of odd arcade games and other not-for-sale displays, almost everything else is about commerce. The staff stands at an elevated checkout, lifeguards calmly observing the kitsch rip tide.

AP built up in the early days by relabeling factory rejects and failed game pieces as must-have home decorations. Today, many items are created expressly for Archie McPhee.