by Antonio Nevarez

(This article is jointly published between Ground Zero Radio, an initiative of the Vera Project, and the South Seattle Emerald.)

Unlock The Con, a collectibles store in the heart of the Outlet Collection Seattle mall in Auburn, is a treasure trove for local collectors to find new, discontinued, and even autographed collectibles. Entering the store, customers meet with dozens of statues and hundreds of figures based on characters from movies and television. Most notably, the store focuses on selling “Pop!” figures by Everett-based toy maker Funko, whose line-up of figures depicts licensed characters and icons. From Star Wars figures to Marvel superheroes, and even presidents, any customer is bound to find something they like. However, many fans of Unlock The Con know the shop for the comic-con-style events they host in-store every few months. As a result of growing popularity, the store has upgraded to a larger location in the mall — doubling in size with the intention of keeping the comic con experience going year-round.