Heroes and Villains offers collectible toys and arcade

One could justifiably say Rainier resident Mike Scoggins is a kid at heart and his business venture, Heroes and Villains, is a perfect reflection. Mike didn’t set out to open a toy store and arcade when he began collecting Funko Pop vinyl collectible toys 10 years ago, but his self-proclaimed addiction to buying them ultimately resulted in a unique and nostalgia-filled store with something for kids of all ages.

Scoggins grew up in Scappoose but relocated to Beaverton when his parents needed to be closer to their jobs, but he always had a heart for Columbia County. In 2006 he and his wife, Jennifer, moved to Rainier to raise their family. His career roots are in contracting, having worked full-time with his father’s general contracting business until 2022, when a car accident sidelined him from day-to-day work. He picked up a delivery shift at Hometown Pizza while figuring out what was next.

In June of 2023 Jennifer, who owns JENtle Hands Dog Grooming in St. Helens, leased an open retail storefront in Rainier on Highway 30 next to Birdie’s Divine Delights (now Columbia Bakehouse), but the space sat empty for the better part of a year.

“It was going to be a dog grooming salon but when we saw how busy the road was we realized we couldn't do a lot of grooming out of here,” said Mike. “We didn't know what we were going to do with the place. I had been collecting things forever and had a little Funko pop addiction, I'll admit. I bought those things daily and they were just sitting in my attic in boxes, and it just dawned on me; why don't we turn most of this place into a toy store or a gift shop and then have a little grooming area in the back?”

Funko Pop, for the uninitiated, are collectible vinyl figures of characters from movies, tv shows, and games, and was founded in 1998 by toy collector Mike Becker in Snohomish, Wash. The company now has an international following with headquarters in Everett, Wash. with licensing deals with major studios, brands and artists, and distribution deals with major retailers and even Funko Pop-dedicated stores.

“I can't remember how I ran into the Funko Pops, it might have been a Walmart, but I bought [one] and then that Christmas Jennifer bought me Jason, Freddie and Michael and, from then on, I would get online and order them,” said Mike. “I kept buying the collections. I had a wall in my house that was completely Funko Pop, and my wife told me I was taking over the house. Every room has Funko Pops. The kitchen has Alice from Brady Bunch and KFC’s Colonel Sanders.”

Another inspiration for opening the store was an experience Mike had while Christmas shopping for Jennifer. “I went to the mall and that was a cool experience because I liked going into a store,” he said. “So, if you're shopping for somebody and you have to find a gift for somebody and they're a fan of something, it's here.”

Heroes and Villains officially opened September 27, 2024. Mike said the name just came to him. Everything in the store, be it Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and anything in between, is either hero or villain oriented. The walls are lined with boxed Funko Pops, but the store also features a range of other products such as comic books, Star Wars bags, lanyards, key chains, and, most recently, Hello Kitty.

“Everybody came in and asked if I had Hello Kitty stuff, so when enough people ask for it you got to get it,” said Mike. “I've got crossover body bags, backpacks, coffee mugs, water bottles, ramen bowls and shopping bags. One thing I don't have is Warhammer but, because people have mentioned that, I will have Warhammer in here.”

Heroes and Villains also features a back-room arcade with seven stand-up multi-cade games. “I charge $5 for unlimited play until I close but I'm going to offer a $10 monthly arcade pass so if a parent has a kid that comes down, they can come back here and play and get out of the heat,” said Mike.

Heroes and Villains has also become home to a local high-school Dungeons & Dragons club that sets up one night a week in the middle of the arcade. “One thing this shop has taught me is I have a lot more faith in our youth now owning the store,” said Mike. “I've developed a lot of relationships with the kids, and [they’re] pretty good compared to what I may have thought before I opened the shop. They come in here and they're so respectful. I've even had some of the kids in the community come in here tell[ing] me there's nothing else to do, so I just want to hang out.”

Additionally, Mike is seeing an increase in traffic from neighboring towns and Rainier locals who are discovering the shop. Scoggins plans on extending his hours to later in the evening for summer to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

“I'm not going anywhere,” Mike said. “I love this place. Instead of going home and relaxing after work, which is what I normally would have done, I just come hang out here and what a cool place to hang out.”

Heroes and Villains is located at 122 W. B Street and is open Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 3 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. For more info, call 503-308-2288.