Pygmy Hippo Shoppe

This is my kind of shop!! I randomly stumbled upon this place while waiting for a restaurant to open for lunch. As soon as I stepped in I was warmly greeted and friendly conversation started flowing. The shop is full to the brim of unique finds, vintage goods, and handmade trinkets and artwork! I’m so happy to have picked up a few items from here while I was in town and it will now be on my “must stop by” list next time I’m in Los Angeles.

Wow!!! The charm and amazing / unique products that this store has is unmatched. First of all, it's really hard to find an independently run store that's thriving nowadays. But I loved hearing that Pygmy Hippo has been around for 15 years!! Shopping here is not only fun (you will find amazing stuff) but you get to support local business and help fight the corporate takeover of Amazon. It's a no brainer. Come shop!!

You will instantly fall in love with this place. So unique, so quaint, such cool things. And the staff are so kind and welcoming. Felt truly grateful to have visited and to have a place like this in the universe. Truly l ovely and fun.

I had been passing this location and waiting for it to be open on of the times and today was the day. The shop owner is so sweet and helpful! She made me feel welcome and had the best suggestions. Everything in this shop is so unique and cute, I was able to find some quirky gifts ! If you’re looking for somewhere to get a unique gift and card, stop here! It’s not like other gift stores you’re used to. Can’t wait to go back again and see what other cool things she stocks!

I love this place. Such unique cards and special gifts. Emi is very kind and accommodating and will even ship a package if you need it. It’s one of my favorite shops in LA. Never disappoints.

I was looking for a quick gift last week for a coworker and didn’t have much time because I was about to start my shift. I stopped by here, they always have cute options, and even though the prices aren’t the best I usually find something I like. This time though…. the cashier felt really rushed. Not rude, just kind of made me feel like I needed to hurry too

the nicest people, the most fun and funky and curated selection of gifts and goodies, and overall just a pleasure to experience! im so glad this place exists near such a commercialized place like the grove

Such a unique shop, everything is super interesting here. I spent about 30 minutes studies everything at the store😀 i loved the sense of humor in details)) I have got a map with information about popular cults in USA))) The owner is interesting person too♥️ I definitely recommend visiting this special store.

This is my go to shop for presents!! It's the cutest lil place and she always has THE most unique things. All my friends love their presents from here.

Everything about this place, the service, the selections, the design of the store itself, all magical. Emmy who runs the shop sources the most incredible, eclectic and largely vintage selection of items, hilarious cards, jewelry, and novelty items. She's so wonderful, sweet, knowledgeable, and generous. I can't recommend the store enough, everything here is so special and genuinely usable. I got a joint holder ring that I use everyday (speaks to my habits). Emmy is witchlike in the best way, and you will be enchanted by her store.

Pygmy Hippo Shoppe is a neighborhood gem, filled with unique gifts, one of a kind greeting cards, and the most fun vibe of any gift store I've eve been in. Located just off of Beverly on Stanley, walking into this tiny store is a small eureka moment: you've found a special store. The window display says it all. Do yourself a favor the next time you need a unique gift or a one of a kind greeting card - come amble down Beverly, make a quick right(or left as the case may be) and discover this store.

REAL TALK: One of my favorite animals is the hippo, so the name of this boutique definitely caught my eye to check out in our last trip out to LA! Pygmy Hippo is a super small independently-owned and -operated boutique that really curates the very best in vintage curios, handmade gifts, various books, and amazing decor - I really can't imagine how they're able to find and procure all the awesome items they have! From stickers, jewelry, glasses, and knick-knacks, to collectables, posters, and salt-and-pepper shakers, this store is pure heaven for those who are collectors or who are in need of finding a unique gift for others (or for oneself!)! I found some cute buttons and patches and fun greeting cards; I have my eye (still) on the vintage salt & pepper fruit bowl, but was a bit apprehensive in taking such a delicate item on the plane. The staff here was very welcoming and friendly; while it's a 'tight' space, there's more than enough room around to take in all their selections; there is no rush, and you are able to peruse at your leisure. A great little gem! +perfectly curated vintage items +friendly staff!

What a cute little vintage-inspired shop! I'm so glad my friend brought me there. It's small but cozy. Friendly person working, possibly the owner? Very attentive. Such cute gifts and card and ornaments for the holidays. If you are in the area, you've got to check it out if you're into some vintage decor and toys!

I wasn't expecting such a cozy little shop to be bursting at the seams with goodies but it was! Emi is a gem and everything sold is well curated and tasteful. It's a great spot to find cool home decor/trinkets/greeting cards/clothes and more! I got a poster, a greeting card, and an "F UCLA" button (for context, I go to UCLA and think I'm funny). Emi spent a good 15 minutes chatting with us and was so helpful! I told her I planned to glue the button onto a magnet so that I could stick it on my fridge and she stuck a magnet on there for me! I'm definitely coming back. All in all, the place is definitely worth your while. There's something for everybody here!

Pygmy Hippo is awesome! They have a really cool assortment of unique greeting cards and gifts (an assortment of both new and vintage of the latter), plus owner Emmy is super nice, PLUS they are dog-friendly. Bonus points for the fact they're located right next to Potato Chips Deli aka some of my favorite sandwiches in town!

the cutest gift store !! so many interesting knick knacks for friends, family, and yourself ;-) plus the store owner is very helpful and knowledgeable! the mystery bag is definitely be worth the price tag with all the goodies you get.

Pygmy Hippo is a jewel box of vintage + eclectic deliciousness. It's my favorite place to shop in LA. There's simply something magic about buying + giving gifts that come from there. And the magic comes from Emi. Speaking of delicious - she's the goddess of all things fabulous. Along with her protégé, Jordan, the Pygmy Hippo Experience will leave you happy. I promise.

This tiny little shop is packed with tons of cool, quirky, and fun items! Feeling overwhelmed with so many options? Grab a mystery bag! You won't be disappointed! I love love love it here!

I used to love this shop but will not be back. I received a sweater as a Christmas present which was bought early December. I didn't receive it until Christmas (obviously) and when I did I realized it was too small. I reached out to the owner and she said oh sorry I have a 5 day return policy. I should note, I do not live in LA. I am in Arizona. How was I supposed to return it within 5 days if I didn't get it until 3 weeks after it was purchased? I didn't even want a refund. I asked for credit. I would have happily returned the unworn sweater to purchase something else in store. The owner even tried to get me to reach out to the small local artist that made the sweater to see if I could return it to her since she won't take it back in her store. Disgusting. When I emailed her back promptly she took 10 days to respond to me. Which apparently is fine and we are all on her clock. In the end, I will never shop here again and will tell my friends and relatives to not buy me gifts from here. I will note, the products are great but I will now be seeking out the actual artists to just buy from them instead of this store. So absolutely disappointed in the level of customer service I received. 0/5 stars

Emi's store is a true magical treasure box! Her store is carefully curated with unique items and her attention to detail is out of this world! I wanted everything in her store!

A really fun and unique gem. I believe it was the owner who assisted me and was super helpful. Definitely will be back!

A friend sent me here when I mentioned I needed a greeting card. I live near this shop and cannot believe that I'd never been in before... this place is AWESOME. And Emmy was a gem. At first glance you might assume that the items inside are thoughtless tchotchkes but that couldn't be further from the truth. Every single thing from the decor to the items for sale are meticulously curated. And yes, best greeting cards in town. Very into this place and will return often.

My friend's home is covered in tons of color. On the way to meet up with another friend I knew what shop she would love...the Pygmy Hippo Shoppe was a definite must!! The words "Taste the Rainbow" come to mind!! This shop is tiny. A literal hole in the wall. We squeezed in and quickly went to town. We were like two Tasmanian devils whirring around picking stuff from all corners!!! Emi, the shop owner was charming and her outfit was soooo cute! I wanted to put her in my pocket!! Every detail of this shop was a grown up "little girl's" dream!!! There was pink Felix the Cat clocks with eyelashes! There's mushroom jars, original quirky art, witch finger necklaces!! We wanted it all and it was close. Perfect place for fun jewelry, original art or prints, bright nail polish, toys, one of a kind cards and tons more! The wall paper was very interesting! It was a vintage looking Venus fly trap! Emi explained that you could see the tiny ants crawling around. The wall paper designer is from Katie Deedy's GrowHouseGrow an ode to the botanist Mary Treat. Emi I love your Wonderland! I believe you said it's expanding. I hope so. This place needs room for all to visit but especially me! Ha! Keep up the good work! I will be drooling over your Instagram from NY!

Tiny eclectic gift shop with an emphasis on tiny! They just added a space in the back that show cases art. The Ann Shen Bad Girl show is on view now and it is super fun along with a collection of vintage lunch pails. Great place to grab a cool little birthday gift.

A little magic jewel box of a shop! Beautifully decorated, filled with one-of-a-kind items, unusual vintage curiosities and independent artist-made goods. A fantastic mix. If you're looking for something special that you won't find anywhere else, GO HERE. The owner is delightful and sweet with a golden eye for things. A destination-worthy shop. EDIT: I have to say I love Emi even more after reading the one-star review for lustily kicking out an obviously entitled hipster mom who refused to keep her child away from the breakables.

My best friend and I came in here after finding it on yelp. Although the store is small, there is a lot of really amazing and fun stuff available. The browsing experience, to me, is the best thing about shopping, so this shop definitely met my expectations. We both ended up purchasing a few things and had an awesome time talking to the very helpful and nice employee Definitely come check this place out!

Even though we are from San Diego, we have forcefully adopted Emi against her will as our L.A. daughter. You will love this Pygmy Hippo shop. You will always walk out with more than you came with, because even if you don't purchase an item, you will leave knowing that beautiful, caring, and kind people can be found in even the tiniest little corner shops in the world. Your Island family, the T's!

I loved this neighborhood store. Great cards, clothes, and trinkets. My favorite thing is the selection of awesome wrapping paper you won't find anywhere else. The owner is great, it's always a pleasure to talk with her. Check this place out!

How does this wonderful confection of a shop exist in the heart of Mid-City!? I discovered Pygmy Hippo after spending time nearby at the cafe, and I have become an ADDICT in the years since. Emi and her crew curate a great collection of trinkets, do-dads, jewelry, and art that aren't always necessarily vintage finds, but they are all absolutely wonderful and unique. PH is the perfect spot to grab a precious gift for a friend or loved one where they'll be begging to know "WHERE DID YOU GET THIS!?" Oh, and the price points are amazing!! ESPecially for the location!!

I literally never write Yelp reviews but this is perhaps the best gift shop on the face of the earth, and Emi the owner is the absolute sweetest. I have found the perfect gifts here for just about every friend and family member of mine for the holidays and beyond. True mom and pop vibes, the perfect amount of kitschy, old school charm with unique offerings. GO GO GO!

Pygmy Hippo is a teeny, tiny magical store where you can find the perfect gift for any of your crushes and boos. From handmade accessories and one-of-a-kind cards to vintage books and antique toys, anything you pick up there will make you or the person you give it to feel very special. Everything in the store is charming, from the details in the decor, the merchandise and even its owner, Emi who could usually be recognized behind the counter from the big bow in her hair. It's definitely a place that you have to experience yourself, pictures and words don't do this whimsical little place justice. Something about the store makes you feel really happy. My baby nephew didn't want to leave and threw a tantrum!

This is my favorite shop in LA. Adorable, carefully curated collection of kitschy vintage goodies. I never fail to find an adorable gift when I stop in. The staff is super sweet, especially the owner. Every time she is there when I come in I feel like I'm shopping with a fun friend!

Super Cute! We literally came in here for one item and left so this review will be short and sweet! It's literally a hole in the wall so if you blink you will miss it. The decor is super cute and vintage. The sales associate was very nice and helpful. I saw a really adorable lipstick pen that I wanted to buy but after trying out a couple, I noticed they wouldn't write which kinda sucked. This place is extremely tiny so if you're planning on going in with more than 2 people, good luck! There were 4 of us total in there today including the cashier and I felt claustrophobic. Overall, they have a lot of creative trinkets in there and is totally worth checking out if you're in the area and just want to do some shopping for interesting gifts. I hope this review helps you decide on where to find some trinkets!

There's now a second room, displaying different artists work - AND a photobooth. It's a charming addition. Plus, get on their mailing list, as they have lots of showcases, workshops, parties, etc.

What a gem of a store. One of a kind gifts and Knick knacks. My secret go to spot for unique shopping!!

This is the cutest little gift shop! It's very small, but is packed with very fun goodies. The owner was very sweet! A must stop for every stationery lover!

This place is SO much fun!!!! Its a really small shop but you can go into the event space behind and it's also really fun, and there's a photo booth in the back! ($5 to print the photos and emailing the photos is free) I didn't get the persons name who helped us but she was so incredibly sweet and friendly, we chatted about Colorado, her upcoming wedding, road tripping, and all kinds of things :) It's weird but if the shop has a personality, it seems like it'd be her! The shop is curated with lots of fun and unique items and is very reasonably priced. Will be back!

Shorter review: Amazing gifts by local artists! One of a kind carefully curated vintage items (the cool stuff, not junky stuff)! Longer review: This little shop is amazing. Have you ever visited it in person?!! I'm not going to give it all away, but just know that you need to see this place IN PERSON. The online store is awesome too, with great customer service. But it's worth a trip to LA to see the real deal!! I visit LA occasionally and I've been here once so far. I'll be back every trip from here on out. Emi is the nicest shop owner EVER. You will die one million times over how perfect this shop is (in a good way).

Just darling shop with oodles of unique, fun gifts, cards and items to make any person happy! Love it!

love love love this teeny shop! I'm not kidding...it's teeny. Located right across the street from the dreaded Grove, this is worth the trip into traffic and parking hell. The girl that runs this shop is so awesome. She sold me some bday gifts, a candle to satisy my hippo obsession and picked a lunch spot for me and my hunny. We also bonded over our bulldogs! Fun kawaii stuff, jewelry, zines and art. Love it here!

Awesome little shop(pe) right on Beverly (near The Grove). I love Pygmy Hippos, and when I drove by this shop one day, I was immediately sucked in from its total cuteness! I came in here to look for a gift for my friends b-day. I ended up getting a really cute necklace, and a card. This place is small, so you can't really come in here looking for something specific, just anything cute! Check it out if you're in the neighborhood, it is soo adorable. Just note, if you see someone in the shoppe (other than the woman behind the counter), you may want to wait a moment. This tincy little place is quite small, it is only comfortable for one person at a time :)

I'll reiterate what everyone has said. It is a charming little shop with unique & whimsical goodies. The person who was there was very nice and even wrapped the gift I got for my gf. It's definitely cute little gem!

Love the decor and vibe of this shoppe! Reminds me of a cross between Willy Wonka and a vintage circus. Might be the smallest shop I have ever been in which makes for a unique and memorable experience. The owner of the shoppe is is real sweetheart and she brings in some really extraordinary pieces. A real gem worth checking out.

Looked around and saw a bunch of yard sale items for 10x the price. Asked one question and a Quite large but very short witch was horrible to me so, same some time and don't Come

Stopped by and love all the cutesy little stuff. SO MUCH STUFF I WANTS! Great service as always. Always easy parking. On a Saturday. First weekend after Christmas. Plus, macaron lipgloss, fancy soaps, Tatty Devine and rings that fit my fat fingers (sure, they are adjustable)!!!!!

OBSESSED W THIS PLACE. The girl who runs it is so helpful and amazing. She always helps me gather gifts based on the descriptions of my friends then she wraps it all up in a gorgeous gift bag. Couldn't be more helpful for a busy person. Thank you PYGMY HIPPO SHOP!

Cutest little (emphasis on little, seriously!) curio shop with very sweet & attentive staff. There's a wide variety of quirky & unique gifts here for pretty much everybody and it's very curated - no junk. Lots of vintage kitsch, art prints, greeting cards and cute trinkets. Will definitely be back.

I FINALLY got the chance to shop here and THANK GOD I did! Backstory - I heard about this place in passing from someone who suggested that they might have the kind of unique statement necklaces that I was yearning for. I pass this place on the way to work quite often and noticed the amazing curated collection in here. When I came in here yesterday, I managed to find two amazing beetle necklaces designed by the owner herself. (one of which, I'm wearing today) She was so kind to adjust one of the chains on one of the necklaces so that I could wear it at 16 inches and at 18 inches. I ended up buying a couple other things for myself and now I am thinking about buying another necklace that I saw in her display. It's like a sickness. I'm definitely coming back here to buy unusual, cute, charming gifts for my friends. And probably to do a lot more shopping for myself ahhh! LOVE THIS PLACE!!

I like to take my daughter here as a treat sometimes but honestly it is a treat for me too. Very nice small space filled with great treasures. Stop by if you're in the area, you won't be sorry. Owner is so nice

The best, most unusual and original cards and gifts...no PC stuff, thank goodness! Want to give an original birthday present? Take a look...

Literally the coolest women ever winning at being a business owner! Cool knickknacks and small decor, with a great sense of humor!

Best "Shoppe" EVER! Trinkets and Fab stuff galore! I have had to cut myself off- every time I go in, I blow my wad. This store is perfectly picked- only the best of the best you will find. Every single thing in this store makes me happy. I love U Pigmy Hippo Forever.

The absolute worst service ever! I drove all the way there to check out the shop. Everything we tried to take a look at or touch, the woman there would snap at us. I couldn't take it anymore and had to walk out of that shop. I wanted to buy a few overpriced items since I support small businesses but this business definitely didn't deserve my money or my time and effort driving down there from the east side of town. What's even worse is that I own a small retail store and children come in and touch things all the time but I never snap at them or even use foul language after they have touched items. The woman literally was cussing and using foul language as we were walking out. It was seriously unprofessional and what my children had to hear as we were walking out was absurd! I never will support this business! I don't understand the five star reviews. It's a unique shop but everything in there was marked up by 3x more..

How can you not love this place? I don't always find something to buy, but even on the odd occasion when I leave empty handed, I'm always glad I stopped by to see what fun stuff they're carrying at the moment and for an invariably delightful chat with the owner. Highly recommended!!

I believe this is the tiniest little shop I have ever been in, but I love it. So many unique gifts and trinkets. The shop almost has an old-timey Disneyland feel to it. Staff is super friendly. Love to visit when I'm in the area.

Such a cute store with a variety of accessories and gifts! I come here each time I'm in LA and always end up buying at least one or two things. Everyone that works here is so helpful and lovely!

A neighborhood gem!! I stop by this teeny shop all the time for last-minute gifts and just generally fun things. Emi is the best and I adore her and her style. The best little gift shop in LA!