There should be a sign posted outside the new Nickelodeon store at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg warning shoppers that upon entering they’ll experience an overwhelming urge to spend money.
The store’s cozy and fun chaos – tilted walls, purple ceilings and slimed cabinets – makes you want to hang for a bit, at least long enough for the cool merchandise to cast its spell. Soon you’ll swear you hear it screaming, “Buy me!”
Shiny “Rugrat” Angelica pajamas, inflatable Nick chairs in shocking orange, and “Ren & Stimpy” Santa and reindeer plush dolls – the ultimate in alternative holiday decor – are must-haves. And the “Rugrat” Tommy Pickles cookie jar and exploding Krumm’s eyeballs (from “AAAHH!!! Real Monsters”) are oh-so tempting.
If by some chance you manage to hang onto your allowance with these, we bet you’ll blow it at the Sticker Station. At this interactive photo booth, you can get your mug snapped against one of several psychedelic backgrounds. For $3 you get 16 tiny stickers of your face that you can slap on books, backpacks or letters to friends. (That’s me above and below.)
Other interactive features include a welcome station hand print that produces an assortment of wacky, strange sounds when pressed and a Hideout Hut where kids can hang and watch their fave Nick shows.
Most of the same Nickelodeon merchan-dise is available at Viacom stores – but the new Nick stores (there’s also one in New York and another in Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.) are test sites for new products. That means new merchan-dise will show up there first. So if, for example, you want to be the first kid on your block with a “Hey Arnold!” backpack, head to Nick (besides, it’s more people-friendly than those Viacom barns).
Head to Nick no matter what. Just remember your piggy bank. Or, if you’re saving for a rainy day, leave it at home!
