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avatar_microraptorgui

Where To Buy Safari Ltd Dinosaurs in the San Francisco Bay Area

Started by microraptorgui, April 05, 2017, 07:33:09 AM

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microraptorgui

Hey, for those of you who live in the San Francisco Bay Area, do you know of any local shops that sell Safari Ltd dinosaurs? I sometimes order them online, but nothing beats being able to hold individual models in your hand and look at the specific paint application before buying!
I sell original dinosaur art on canvas, shirts, dresses, stickers, phone covers, and a whole bunch of other stuff!
Check it out at www.redbubble.com/people/microraptorgui/shop!


Doug Watson

Quote from: microraptorgui on April 05, 2017, 07:33:09 AM
Hey, for those of you who live in the San Francisco Bay Area, do you know of any local shops that sell Safari Ltd dinosaurs? I sometimes order them online, but nothing beats being able to hold individual models in your hand and look at the specific paint application before buying!

I don't live there and they aren't technically dinosaurs but on a recent trip we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium again and the gift shop had my Safari Ltd Elasmosaurus and Liopleurodon. The San Fran Zoo had a display but I only saw extant animals.
P.S. You could always contact Safari Ltd direct and ask them if any other San Fran retailers stock their dinosaurs at [email protected]

microraptorgui

Quote from: Doug Watson on April 05, 2017, 01:55:48 PM
Quote from: microraptorgui on April 05, 2017, 07:33:09 AM
Hey, for those of you who live in the San Francisco Bay Area, do you know of any local shops that sell Safari Ltd dinosaurs? I sometimes order them online, but nothing beats being able to hold individual models in your hand and look at the specific paint application before buying!

I don't live there and they aren't technically dinosaurs but on a recent trip we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium again and the gift shop had my Safari Ltd Elasmosaurus and Liopleurodon. The San Fran Zoo had a display but I only saw extant animals.
P.S. You could always contact Safari Ltd direct and ask them if any other San Fran retailers stock their dinosaurs at [email protected]

Thanks, Doug! I think I will contact Safari myself; that's a good idea. When I was growing up I used to frequent a toy shop that had a huge variety, but the same shop today has mostly been taken over by Schleich. It's really sad.

By the way, I love your work; your sculpts are amazing!
I sell original dinosaur art on canvas, shirts, dresses, stickers, phone covers, and a whole bunch of other stuff!
Check it out at www.redbubble.com/people/microraptorgui/shop!

Halichoeres

Have you tried the California Academy of Sciences store?
In the kingdom of the blind, better take public transit. Well, in the kingdom of the sighted, too, really--almost everyone is a terrible driver.

My attempt to find the best toy of every species

My trade/sale/wishlist thread

Sometimes I draw pictures

Doug Watson

Quote from: Halichoeres on April 06, 2017, 05:16:44 PM
Have you tried the California Academy of Sciences store?

They didn't have any when we were there in February.

stargatedalek

Quote from: Doug Watson on April 06, 2017, 07:45:32 PM
Quote from: Halichoeres on April 06, 2017, 05:16:44 PM
Have you tried the California Academy of Sciences store?

They didn't have any when we were there in February.
That's disheartening, they had them when I visited a few years ago.

Doug Watson

Quote from: stargatedalek on April 06, 2017, 09:38:18 PM
Quote from: Doug Watson on April 06, 2017, 07:45:32 PM
Quote from: Halichoeres on April 06, 2017, 05:16:44 PM
Have you tried the California Academy of Sciences store?

They didn't have any when we were there in February.
That's disheartening, they had them when I visited a few years ago.

Now that I think of it was there an adult gift store and a kids store? I went into the adult store to check out the books but I have a haunting feeling that there was another store for kids, maybe there was a Safari display in there.

Amazon ad:

stargatedalek

Quote from: Doug Watson on April 06, 2017, 10:13:27 PM
Quote from: stargatedalek on April 06, 2017, 09:38:18 PM
Quote from: Doug Watson on April 06, 2017, 07:45:32 PM
Quote from: Halichoeres on April 06, 2017, 05:16:44 PM
Have you tried the California Academy of Sciences store?

They didn't have any when we were there in February.
That's disheartening, they had them when I visited a few years ago.
Indeed there was. The kids store is hidden among the aquariums.

Now that I think of it was there an adult gift store and a kids store? I went into the adult store to check out the books but I have a haunting feeling that there was another store for kids, maybe there was a Safari display in there.

suspsy

Quote from: Doug Watson on April 06, 2017, 10:13:27 PM
Quote from: stargatedalek on April 06, 2017, 09:38:18 PM
Quote from: Doug Watson on April 06, 2017, 07:45:32 PM
Quote from: Halichoeres on April 06, 2017, 05:16:44 PM
Have you tried the California Academy of Sciences store?

They didn't have any when we were there in February.
That's disheartening, they had them when I visited a few years ago.

Now that I think of it was there an adult gift store and a kids store? I went into the adult store to check out the books but I have a haunting feeling that there was another store for kids, maybe there was a Safari display in there.

As I recall, there was one gift shop right at the front entrance, where the T. rex skeleton is. Had a lot of plush sea creatures, and I think there were some Safari toys there too. This was back in 2012 before I became serious about collecting dinosaurs, so my memory is hazy.
Untitled by suspsy3, on Flickr

microraptorgui

Quote from: Halichoeres on April 06, 2017, 05:16:44 PM
Have you tried the California Academy of Sciences store?

I didn't see any there last time I went, which I think was about two years ago.  I'll keep it in mind next time I visit, though.
I sell original dinosaur art on canvas, shirts, dresses, stickers, phone covers, and a whole bunch of other stuff!
Check it out at www.redbubble.com/people/microraptorgui/shop!

microraptorgui

I contacted Safari to ask about local places where I could buy their Wild Safari line of dinosaur models, but their reply was disappointing. "Bernie" wrote me back and said, "At this time, we do not have a store locator available but stay tuned as we are constantly adding new features to improve our customer's online experience." The rest of the e-mail was a copied-and-pasted advertisement about the ease of ordering on their website, even though I'd already written in my e-mail that I appreciated their website. Let me know if you all have any more suggestions!
I sell original dinosaur art on canvas, shirts, dresses, stickers, phone covers, and a whole bunch of other stuff!
Check it out at www.redbubble.com/people/microraptorgui/shop!

Doug Watson

Quote from: microraptorgui on April 07, 2017, 12:58:00 AM
I contacted Safari to ask about local places where I could buy their Wild Safari line of dinosaur models, but their reply was disappointing. "Bernie" wrote me back and said, "At this time, we do not have a store locator available but stay tuned as we are constantly adding new features to improve our customer's online experience." The rest of the e-mail was a copied-and-pasted advertisement about the ease of ordering on their website, even though I'd already written in my e-mail that I appreciated their website. Let me know if you all have any more suggestions!

Sorry they weren't more help. They must have recently dropped the store locator because I used one fairly recently to find a Toronto retailer, I couldn't find it on the site this time, hopefully they will put one back soon.

microraptorgui

For those who were discussing the California Academy of Sciences earlier, I just got back from a visit this afternoon! They actually have three stores there--the main store just to the right of the entrance, the aquarium store, and the Lab Junior store, which is back behind the planetarium. Unfortunately, there were no Safari Ltd dinosaurs in any of the three stores. The Lab Junior store did have some dinosaur toys, but most of them were cheap little silly things. The only realistic ones they had were poorly-painted knock-offs of the Papo Allosaurus and the green Papo T. rex tripod. Pretty sad. I was shocked to see the knock-offs in a museum, but I guess even museums have to stock what will bring them the best profit.
I sell original dinosaur art on canvas, shirts, dresses, stickers, phone covers, and a whole bunch of other stuff!
Check it out at www.redbubble.com/people/microraptorgui/shop!


Halichoeres

In the kingdom of the blind, better take public transit. Well, in the kingdom of the sighted, too, really--almost everyone is a terrible driver.

My attempt to find the best toy of every species

My trade/sale/wishlist thread

Sometimes I draw pictures

suspsy

I agree, extremely depressing news. An ongoing trend that museums should be ashamed of.
Untitled by suspsy3, on Flickr

You can support the Dinosaur Toy Forum by making dino-purchases through these links to Ebay and Amazon. Disclaimer: these and other links to Ebay.com and Amazon.com on the Dinosaur Toy Forum are often affiliate links, so when you make purchases through them we may make a commission.