Guzu Gallery

Guzu’s merchandise and setup is amazing, their magazines, toys, art, books, etc. are amazing. BUT, what usually makes or breaks a business is it’s customer service, and I will agree with several posts in that the people manning the desk seem to have an «I’m too good for you» attitude.
Yes, this hobby is an expensive one and some may complain about that but it is a hobby about collecting plastic toys and art, which is a luxury, beyond the part of supporting art.
The biggest issue though is the people at the counter and their unfortunate passive attitude and reluctant interaction with their customers. I have not had one time when I visited, where they did not act in that way.

Love this shop! If not for the various toys, figurines, and books then definitely for the art work. They have one of my favorite items for sure though: Frank Kozik’s Smorkin’ Labbits and I just want to sit on their couch covered by all the plushy versions. But I’m weird like that.
The employees are nice and don’t pounce on you as soon as you walk in and I like that. They definitely leave the customers to look through their stuff and take their time. It’s unique and a go-​to if you enjoy toys, animé, and the like.

This place makes me wish I had more money haha. Not to say its over priced, because the prices are really comparable with anything you’d find on amazon! Alas I don’t have a ton of money to spend on adorable vinyl toys, but when I do… this is where you will find me! I always leave with a little something. They have Yummy breakfast pillows and I have my eye on the macaroon one as its the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. This is a really good place for a gift, especially if someone could use a little something cute on a desk or work space!

One of my favorite toy stores! My bf and friends really liked this place because we’re into vinyl and urban art. Some things were cheaper than other places, and some were more but it really depends and I didn’t mind much. I liked how things were set up in the store, but mainly it was my genre. I mean I know people love comics and action hero stuff but it’s pretty refreshing when you go to a «toy store» and it’s not just comics and action hero stuff… Lol. I am a big tokidoki fan and they had a vast assortment of things I wanted to get. They have a little neat art section to check out as well :) they do have a lot of munnys and dunnys in the back of the register but they’re mainly for display I believe. and if the owner is there, they might trade with you as well.

If you’ve enjoyed any Ghibli films (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totorro) or appreciate Japanese pop art, this place is for you. They have fun Sanrio products, fun figurines of popular movies and TV shows, among other specialty items. I was smitten by a giant stuffed Totorro doll sitting innocently on a shelf but my crush quickly faded when I saw the price tag: $ 275. To sum it up, this place is fun to browse but definitely over priced.

Seems like a lot of work to be so indifferent to your customers. Eye contact is so 2008.

So this place was really neat, but I have a few major issues. Things are overpriced, which is understandable for a brick and mortar, except that they don’t list prices on a lot of their stuff. You have to either ask or wait for a big surprise when you check out. For instance, I grabbed two cards for birthdays coming up. The cards had no price and no envelopes to go with them, so I was surprised when they turned out to be $ 4 a piece.
Good points are that the employees are super happy to be there and helpful. The art books section is also unique.

Whenever I pay a visit to Austin Books and Comics, I also stop in at Guzu Gallery. It’s a great place to window shop — the combination of collectible toys, art books, and prints is fun to check out even if you don’t end up buying anything. The staff tends to be pretty laid back and let you explore the shop as you see fit, but they’ve been helpful any time I’ve had questions about their merchandise.
I’d definitely recommend stopping by for a visit if you’re in the area, especially if you’re already next door at Austin Books and Comics. This is the perfect store to get a birthday or Christmas present for that nerdy friend of yours.

Guzu is perfect for the Japanese inspired toy and art fan. This is a nice addition to the plaza, it brings something different but still relative to the comic/​book crowd. It is clean and easy to navigate. Prices range from reasonable to high for the art pieces. I enjoyed this store because I was able to see the pieces in person before shopping online. When I compared online prices, the toys were about 5% more expensive in the store… not bad.

Cute cute cute!!! This is a great place to go for collectibles. I got a zombie plush there that was absolutely adorable! I just wish that they would consider selling hello kitty goods. I haven’t been able to find a sanrio store since the one at one of the malls closed down. Momoko and terra toys have some stuff (mostly trinkets), but this place having hello kitty plushies would make more sense.

Love stopping into this place. I always find new things to look at. The strange beast gallery is really awesome too. Nice staff and surprisingly fair prices.

Guzu Gallery is an eclectic mix of weird and awesome. After stopping by the comic shop next door, I peeked into this store and couldn’t make out what type of place it was. Art lines half of the walls at Guzu Gallery and while I have no real comprehension for art other than «cool» and «I don’t get it,» it was interesting to browse through. The rest of the store is mix of animé and kidrobot figures. My favorite find was a Hypnotoad figure that I’ve seen go for 70+ on ebay for only $ 40. All glory to the Hypnotoad! They also have Simpsons and Futurama surprise boxes here and (what makes this store the best place to get them) has the option to open your box at the store and if you already have the figure, you can swap it out with ones they have displayed.

You used to have to go to Toy Joy for the surprise boxes, but now Austin Books and Comics has a whole store for all that kitchy stuff. Cool art, statues, books, and occasional in store events make this a fun place.

I will fight you for your labbit. Fun place.

Stopped in on a recommendation to check out some quirky art renderings. They definitely have a well-​curated collection of fun artwork (locally sourced) as well as fun toys (of the KidRobot variety).
They have great stuff, only wish they had a bigger selection/​more variety! Since they obviously know what they are doing, wish they would expand their collection a bit.

Absolutely LOVE Guzu Gallery. Marvelous collection of bizarre and unusual toys. MAGNIFICENT collection of Toroto/​Ghibli toys (wallets and accessories to boot!). And to top it off, a great collection of art by local artists in the back. Great to come browse and find that perfect gift for someone or yourself. Staff has always been super friendly and fun! I can’t wait to go back.

If you’re into Domy Books primarily for the toys, then Guzu may be the place for you. It has an amazing selection of vinyl figures, popular and obscure plushes, and blind box items.
They do have a nice selection of art books as well, and some screen prints. Overall, I would say the book selection is a little less highbrow than Domy, but definitely worth a look, especially if you’re interested in popular art, street culture, etc.

Short of it:
GREAT Toy Selection! Friendly staff (thought just the one guy when I went there, but very nice and well informed). Some serious, heavy duty art books! Overall awesome place for toy enthusiasts and art lovers!
Long version:
So I frequent all of the local Austin toy stores and I had no idea that Guzu existed! That was until I decided I needed to refill my comics supply at Austin Books and Comics one day and noticed this little gem sitting next door.
I thought it was great! As a toy and art enthusiast I thought Guzu was a great addition to the Austin lineup and has even become my go to location over Domy Books due to its larger toy selection and more convenient location for us northern Austinites. The majority of the selection is smaller collectors blind boxes (with a very reasonable policy about switching blind boxes you buy with one of their many pre-​opened boxes from the same series that sit behind the counter) but they also have what could be the biggest collection of larger, limited run art toys in the greater Austin area for the more serious collector in your life. On top of that, they also have a pretty great spread of plush, from the more common Ugly Dolls to the ‘YUMMY’ series of food plushies from KidRobot.
They also had two free floating displays entirely devoted to specific series. One was the always popular DIY blank vinyls of Munny and the whole family, and another was covered in solely TokiDoki figures and plush. Past the toys they also had a spill over of a few comics from Austin Books and Comics and a small but very well curated selection of art books featuring collections by amazing illustrators and artists. The books are definitely not for the feint of heart as they are HUGE but it’s great to a see a shop catering to the illustrator enthusiasts! The space in the back had some screen prints for sale and acts as their rotating gallery space, it was a bit limited but I could see it being used as a great spot for up and coming artists to exhibit work.
I’m only reserving the 5^th star probably because the space is so new. It doesn’t have much personality and the remains of the salon that until recently occupied the space is still slightly evident. I’m sure though in time they will come into their own and if they keep using the space to host gallery showings and events, then I know this place could become a great new Austin treasure for the nerdy and the arty alike!

I stumbled upon Guzu Gallery on an impromptu trip to Austin to visit some friends. Upon walking in, you’ll be hit with a wall full of blank KidRobot Munnies. The inviting atmosphere soon sinks in and you will catch yourself trying to look at everything all at once! I had Brandon and Vince help me. Both very nice and completely down to earth. Their knowledge of vinyl, limited edition, retro toys and pop culture are right on par with the best. They also told me Guzu Gallery is also owned by Austin Books and Comics. This little stretch on N. Lamar will certainly blow your mind!

I had a great time at the Guzu Gallery opening. The employees were helpful and friendly (as was expected from an offshoot of Austin Books). The selection of vinyl, plush, and art books was impressive. The gallery in the back, currently displaying Tim Doyle prints was a fun to view. The space itself has a very natural and inviting feel… lots of woods and warm tones and open, relaxed space giving everything room to breathe. They’re off to a great start and it will be fun to see how Guzu evolves over the coming months!