The “Upside Down” has officially entered New York City at the new Stranger Things pop-up store right in the heart of Times Square at 200 42nd St. On November 6th, the doors opened for the public and die-hard fans replicating the show’s world, memorabilia, and merchandise.
The captivating retail store walks through each piece of the Hawkins setting through the Palace Arcade, a hidden Demogorgon, the Byers family living room, and more. Each section has been intricately detailed, such as the bookshelves in Joyce’s house stashed with ’80s records, cameras, and a record player. The living room table display is a Dungeons & Dragons starter set game, Combat, and Berzerk games. As people sit on the couch and take photos, it’s as if a world had picked up and ran away, and we are all there to capture and participate in it before it’s too late.
The brightly lit Starcourt mall is where customers can check out as it gleams with pink and white lights. It feels like stepping into an ultra ’80s retro music video. Customers can also have fun capturing a photo at the Hawkins High School section with lockers encased with schoolbooks, Eggo waffles, a yellow wall aligned with silver streamers, and a sign with “Hawkins Middle SnowBall ’84” hanging up. Here is where one can experience adolescent nostalgia as Hawkins High letter jackets, t-shirts, and trophies are available for sale.
Customers can step into even more picturesque sections of the Upside Down, taken with the Demogorgon protruding from a dark wall where every line of teeth is spiked through its head. The Upside Down world wraps full circle to the entrance of the famous neon red-horizontal lighting, and it’s no wonder that you need special reservation tickets brought to you by Fever. Everyone inside and outside is waiting to capture photos or purchase an item or stand around in awe.
For those unaware of the infamous Upside Down phenomena, Stranger Things became a successful Netflix TV show hit when it first aired in the summer of 2016. Everything about the ’80s revised drama series, from the pop-synthetic theme song to the retro fashion and home settings, warped viewers worldwide into a fantastical dimension of what is known as the Upside Down. In this alternate reality, a group of high school kids in Hawkins, Indiana, investigate more deeply after the disappearance of their friend. As the series progressed, each character introduced became an instant sensation.
When the series takes an even deeper turn, the audience discovers what’s inside the Hawkins Laboratory. Soon audiences find how all of the events transpiring are connected to the Upside Down once Will contacts his mother by utilizing Christmas lights that she hangs in her living room that light up each corresponding alphabet letter she wrote on the wall to continue communication with him.
Audiences have since anticipated each season premiere, including the fourth season, set to premiere in 2022. In the meantime, they can be sure to immerse themselves in the Upside Down world store set to remain at the Times Square location until January 2022. For an even deeper dive into the Upside Down experience, click here to reserve tickets for the Stranger Things Immersive Experience set to open next year.
Next, read about the filming locations for Succession on HBO!