WE HOST.
Sometimes it's a full event we host with other vendors invited. Like the original pop-up in Issaquah (2017).
POP★CADIA.
/pɒpˈkeɪ.di.ə/ · pop-KAY-dee-uh
Toys, finding their kids.
Popcadia is a traveling pop-up "nerd and geek pop culture" experience in the greater Seattle area where toys and collectibles find new homes. Every kid leaves with one free toy.
A percentage of proceeds will continue to fund local community causes our patrons and sponsors help choose in rotation.
WE DOCK.
Sometimes it's just our table set up inside a partner's space, like a game shop, an indoor market, or a sponsor's event.
WE ROLL.
Sometimes it's the "toy truck" pulling up to a farmers market or parking lot on schedule, especially in areas where kids would most appreciate the chance to get a free toy.
► Receipts · What it looked like in 2017
We've done
this before.
We produced an earlier version of this event in Issaquah back in 2017. About 50 pop-culture vendors, kids and adults walking out with more than just smiles on their faces.
Issaquah, 2017 · Watch on YouTube
► Why this exists
Four real
reasons.
Good pop culture stuff gets thrown away. Kids don't get enough chances to take home something they'll love. Makers and curators need more places to sell. Local causes need more support. We can help with all four at once.
01
Good pop culture stuff gets thrown away.
Toys and collectibles that don't sell at retail end up in landfills. Estate cleanouts dump piles of fandom items because nobody knows what to do with them. We'll take them and get them into the hands of kids who'll love them.
02
Thrift stores don't give toys to kids.
They sell them. So a kid whose family can't afford retail walks past every toy aisle, including the secondhand ones. We're the place where they walk in and walk out with one for free.
03
Makers and curators need more places to sell.
People who craft original work or curate collections are always looking for more chances to vend and connect with their community. We give them a spot at the events we host.
04
Local causes always need more support.
The food bank, the shelter, the school program down the street. Big national giving doesn't keep their lights on. Small recurring contributions from people nearby do. Each quarter, a share of what we take in goes to one local cause our patrons and sponsors vote in.
► Operation manual · How it works
Helping toys
find their kids.
Trade & Free
Kids and adults are both welcome to make fair trades. Every kid also leaves with one free toy. Sometimes more than one.
Sale
Adults can buy from the sale inventory. A share of what's sold helps cover the cost of running Popcadia and the quarterly local cause.
► Operating commitments
01
Company donations
= free for kids.
= free for kids.
Donations from companies and brands go to kids free, first come first serve. Donations from individuals can be sold to help cover costs or given away to kids, whichever makes sense. We track which is which at intake.
02
Lean by design.
Every dollar spent on overhead is a dollar that didn't reach a kid or a cause. We keep the operation small on purpose so the quarterly numbers stay honest.
03
Year-round, not seasonal.
Most toy drives happen at Christmas. We show up throughout the year. Kids don't get a once-a-year window to walk away with something. They get a regular thing.
► What we take · What we won't
Geeky and nerdy
stuff, basically.
We curate with intention. We're not a junk hauling service. The published list says yes-or-no before you load up the car.
Welcome in
WE TAKE
- action figures
- video games & consoles
- trading cards
- board games
- brick & building sets
- comics & graphic novels
- sci-fi & fantasy toys
- vintage collectibles
- original 3D prints
- handmade crafts
- in-theme books
Left at the door
WE DON'T TAKE
- plushies
- clothing
- most kids' meal trinkets
- promotional giveaways
- knockoffs & counterfeits
- sports memorabilia
- adult-themed collectibles
- broken or missing pieces
- damaged or incomplete
► Ways to support
Pick how
you help.
► Patron deck
Vote on every
quarterly cause.
Recurring monthly support, from $5 a month up. Patrons get a vote on every quarterly cause, plus discounts on sale items or free entry at ticketed events. Cancel anytime.
► Donate
Items or money.
Both help.
► Sponsor deck
Stories
you can point at.
Most sponsorships give you generic gratitude and a logo placement. We give you a quotable line. "Last quarter, our sponsor's contribution helped fund $X to [named cause] and Y kids walked away with toys." Paste it into a board update. Sponsors vote on the quarterly cause alongside patrons. We narrow the shortlist, you pick the winner.
► Where you'll find us
Schedule lives
here.
Hosted events, docked appearances, and truck stops post here and on social. Drop your email below to know when the next one lands.
► Public log
What
you'll see.
you'll see.
Once the first full quarter wraps, the public log goes live here. Same shape every time: the local cause our patrons and sponsors voted in, and the exact dollar amount that went to it. Voluntary. No law requires it.
Cause
Local nonprofit our patrons and sponsors voted in
Amount
Exact dollars sent to the cause
Kids
Counted at every pop-up
Quarter
Four reports a year, year-round
▌ VOTED IN · DOLLAR AMOUNT PUBLISHED · EVERY QUARTER ▌
► Frequently asked · Questions you probably have
Likely questions.
Honest answers.
Is Popcadia a charity or nonprofit?
No. Popcadia is a for-profit operation that's built to balance sustainability with social good. No grants, no board, no foundation to please. The transparency commitment (publishing the quarterly cause name and the dollar amount) is voluntary.
Are donations to Popcadia tax-deductible?
No. Popcadia is not a 501(c)(3), so monetary and item donations are not tax-deductible. If tax deductibility is what you're looking for, donate directly to the quarterly cause we name. Those are real nonprofits.
How is this different from a thrift store?
Thrift stores sell, take everything, and don't gift toys to kids. We curate inventory, facilitate exchanges between kids and adults, and route a share of proceeds to a quarterly local cause. Every kid leaves with one free toy.
My kid has nothing to trade. Can they still get a toy?
Yes. Every kid leaves with one free toy, whether or not they brought something. Sometimes more than one.
What can adults do at a Popcadia pop-up?
Adults trade items they're done with for items they want, or buy from the sale inventory. Drop-off donations welcome whether or not you're staying.
How do you decide which local cause gets the quarterly donation?
We narrow the field to a shortlist of local causes each quarter. Patrons and sponsors then vote on the winner. The cause name and the dollar amount go on the website at the end of the quarter.
How does the vote actually work?
Patrons and sponsors get a ballot at the start of each quarter with the shortlist (3–5 local causes) and a short description of each. One vote per patron seat and one per sponsor seat. We tally, announce the winner, and post the final dollar amount when the quarter wraps.
I want to donate a lot of stuff. What's the process?
Reach out via the donate form. We'll work out the logistics: drop-off at a pop-up, partner location, or a pickup for big hauls and estate cleanouts. We curate at intake, so the published yes-or-no list tells you in advance what we can take.
When is the next Popcadia pop-up?
Schedule posts on the website and on social. Join the mailing list and you'll hear about each stop as it's locked in: truck dates, partner shop appearances, and full hosted events.