Founders of RetroX open new store, POP Fusion, catering to collectors and crafters
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IDAHO FALLS — The founders of RetroX, the annual pop culture and fandom convention, have now opened their new storefront, POP Fusion, where community members can find collectibles, toys, comics and more.
Co-owners Phil and Dawn Langston held a grand opening for POP Fusion on Oct. 10, but the store had a soft opening two months prior.
POP Fusion is located at 2169 East 17th St. and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Phil told EastIdahoNews.com that he wanted a headquarters for RetroX and a place for community members to meet up or shop for items within their fandoms.
RELATED | A fan getaway: Retro-X brings community together to celebrate multiple fandoms
“I’ve always had kind of a mind for retail, and so I knew how I wanted it in here, but I wanted it to go hand-in-hand with RetroX,” Phil said.
For over four years, the Langstons have run RetroX in Idaho Falls, bringing thousands of community members and actors from various subcultures.
With the experience he’s gained running that convention, Phil said he’s developed a sense of what collectibles people in the area want. Whether it’s Transformers, Marvel or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, POP Fusion has something for everyone.
Another reason for opening the store is to clear out his own collection, where he estimates he gathered 70% of the items up for sale.
After 20 years of collecting, he decided to sell them because most were stored in bins, and he hadn’t seen many of them.
The remaining items come from community members bringing items in for consignment or online purchases.
Some of the items have been rather unique, like an Australian Happy Meal featuring a Marvel toy, a signed Taylor Swift CD and 1976 King Kong movie poster signed by Peter Cullen.
Alongside those collectibles, crafts make up a big part of the new store. Phil said cross-stitch is one of the most popular categories among shoppers.
Aside from the hoops, needles and other essentials, Phil said his wife prepares dyed cloth for backing and kits for customers to use.
Over time, he hopes to include artwork from local artists.
Regarding RetroX, Phil said that as June approaches, the store will run ticket giveaways and announce which celebrity guests will attend the event.
For the future of the annual convention, Phil said RetroX 2027 will move locations and be held inside the Mountain America Center.
For more information about RetroX, visit their website at www.ifretrox.com
Overall, Phil said that his new store and the larger venue for RetroX show how much interest has grown in places like this in Idaho Falls.
“People are coming from cities that want this kind of stuff and are used to having events like this where the community can get together, and small businesses can get together and just have fun,” Phil said.
