My brother took me to Archie McPhee's and what a riot! That store is so funny, lots of great gag gifts. Some of the items were SO gross and disgusting, but for the most part I thought it was... More

My brother took me to Archie McPhee's and what a riot! That store is so funny, lots of great gag gifts. Some of the items were SO gross and disgusting, but for the most part I thought it was great. I had a fun time, the store was busy and upbeat and the sales staff quite friendly! I even bought a few gag gifts items to put in my husbands stocking! Lots of fun and crazy things in this store!
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When I first moved to Seattle, I heard Archie McPhee's was a fun store to check out, one of Seattle's must-visits. I thought it sounded cool, but I never made it out that way. I saw the store... More

When I first moved to Seattle, I heard Archie McPhee's was a fun store to check out, one of Seattle's must-visits. I thought it sounded cool, but I never made it out that way. I saw the store featured on the Food Network. Still, I didn't go. And when I learned it was within a mile of where I used to get my hair done, I shrugged and thought one day. Perhaps its because of all the hype, perhaps I'm just lame and don't get it, I don't know. I finally went in yesterday and, well, Archie McPhee's just didn't do it for me. Yes, there are a lot of fun things to look at. If you were ever in need of a plastic wedding couple, plastic baby or other plastic figurines (perhaps of woodland creatures with which to decorate your car, a la the van in Pike Place Market), then I would say Archie McPhee's is the best place to go. Outside of that, it's worth a browse or two and that's it. There's a section of weird apparatuses that seem more geared for a costume shop (pulley and plastic tubes, anyone?), but I couldn't tell if they were functional or purely decorational. I saw some funny things that would work as a gag gift (bacon bandage strips, for example), but even with the collection of small and unique goods I left without buying a single thing. While I was disappointed, I didn't dislike Archie McPhee's. It's great for party gift bags, favors and stocking stuffers, just limited if you're looking for actual gifts. I mean, where else am I going to go and get a hot-dog clock for $5?
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Archie McPhee's is a one of a kind place in Ballard. Putting together a theme party for the office or home? Looking for fun prizes to hand out at your next event? Archie's is the place. You'll find... More

Archie McPhee's is a one of a kind place in Ballard. Putting together a theme party for the office or home? Looking for fun prizes to hand out at your next event? Archie's is the place. You'll find the store brimming over with a wide selection of seasonal and insane oddities, trinkets, and just plain good junk. While you can spend quite a bit at Archie's, it's also easy to fill a bag on that cheap worthless stuff that brings your special event to life. It's like Christmas, Halloween, and the Fourth of July all rolled into one store. Shop online at McPhee.com to get an idea of what they carry. Then drive to Ballard and look for the Australian Frilled Lizard bursting out of the side of the store.
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Part party supply, part surplus, part novelty, and part toy store, each element combines with the others to make Archie McPhee the fabulous Seattle institution that it is. They sell punching nuns,... More

Part party supply, part surplus, part novelty, and part toy store, each element combines with the others to make Archie McPhee the fabulous Seattle institution that it is. They sell punching nuns, pirate bandages, Jesus action figures, and Parasite Pals plush toys. What more could you ask for, really? Don't miss the cat-a-pult or the ninja flinger - less the $5 and they fling cats and ninjas!
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Next time you need a plastic body part or a boxing nun Archie McPhee's is the place to find it. You never know just what you'll find at Archie's, and that's what makes it so appealing. For joke... More

Next time you need a plastic body part or a boxing nun Archie McPhee's is the place to find it. You never know just what you'll find at Archie's, and that's what makes it so appealing. For joke gifts or just something kitschy and interesting to put on your desk as a conversation starter, this is a good place to try. Everything in the store is of cheap manufacture, made overseas, and really serves no purpose but if these factors don't bother you and you're just looking for something entertaining chances are good you'll find something to like at Archie McPhee's
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X-ray glasses, whoopee cushions, little plastic animals. You get the idea. This is the kind of stuff that Archie McPhee's is famous for, and that's a good thing, because it's all they've got.... More

X-ray glasses, whoopee cushions, little plastic animals. You get the idea. This is the kind of stuff that Archie McPhee's is famous for, and that's a good thing, because it's all they've got. Normally, I have to admit that I wouldn't really find much of value here - if anything, the dot-com career fairs taught me that you can only have so much worth junk before it stops becoming funny and just becomes a mess. However, this is the only place I know of in Seattle that sells rubber chickens, and as any computer admin knows, hanging a rubber chicken over your servers is the only way to avoid problems.
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Archie McPhee's is the king of the FOUR G's - "GOOFY GAG GIFTS GALORE". What a crazy fun store! The store is piled full of the weird and unusual! Get a good laugh or a great gag gift! The sales... More

Archie McPhee's is the king of the FOUR G's - "GOOFY GAG GIFTS GALORE". What a crazy fun store! The store is piled full of the weird and unusual! Get a good laugh or a great gag gift! The sales staff are very kind and most of them really get into the goofy spirit and make your shopping experience even that more unusual.
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