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Echo Park Time Travel Mart

By Alex in Pictures, Travel & Places on Feb 26, 2008 at 1:40 am


"Behold the fluorescent glory of the ECHO PARK TIME TRAVEL MART Marquee. Check it out in person at 1714 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. The store will open full time on January 15th, 2008."

Just opened in Los Angeles: The Echo Park Time Travel Mart, specializing in everything you need for time travel, such as Mammoth Chunks, Barbarian Repellent (warning: doesn’t work for Ostrogoth), and Time-Freezy Hyper Slushy drink.

The Echo Park Time Travel Mart is a brainchild of Mac Bernett of 826LA, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting kids explore creative writing and helping teachers inspire their students to write. 826LA is looking for someone to help run the Echo Park Time Travel Mart If you knew this already through your time traveling, then you’d be the right person!

Links: Introducing the Echo Park Time Travel Mart at Stefan G. Bucher’s Daily Monster Blog | Photo Gallery | 826LA website


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  1. Sid Morrison
    Feb 26th, 2008 at 8:56 am

    What a lot of crap. No wonder kids today are so ill-educated when they have such diversions from real learning pushed to the schools as avenues for creative thinking.

    Non-profit of not, somebody is attempting to make a bunch of cash off of this sham -- soaking taxpayers for state and local funds to run it. Take a look at the 826LA website -- one of the big job requirements is grant writing.

    What a silly field trip to take the kids on. Take the kids to a real museum or historical site.

  2. Azrael Brown
    Feb 26th, 2008 at 9:22 am

    It looks like they're working off Chris Ware's model: http://www.826valencia.org/ The theory is, Ware wanted to start a writer's retreat, but the zoning required a retail shop, so he made it a writing retreat and pirate store. Pirate objects: less important, but shows creativity to inspire the writers within (in theory). And, come on -- waste of money? Where else am I going to buy my Barbarian repellant?!? They're going to make a mint!

  3. DCer
    Feb 26th, 2008 at 9:32 am

    Yeah, I read this and my first reaction was, "this is totally uncool."

    Friends of mine got money from companies looking to invest in green energy and they used that money to train underage offenders in bike repair. So they get junked bike parts, the kids build bikes for themselves, learn a decent skill, get transportation and all during their community service. Then the kids come back and train other kids to fix bikes.

    This guy comes up with a "time travel mart." You know, he's a jackass.

  4. Miranda
    Feb 26th, 2008 at 12:15 pm

    Man, $12.99 for Barbarian repellent! I'll just get my 4 and a 1/2 gallons of gas and drive away! I really hope that they aren't actually charging people for this stuff, especially kids.. Plus that slogan? I don't get it.. could just be that I'm stupid or something..

  5. Rosi
    Feb 26th, 2008 at 1:02 pm

    Relax, it's only fun! Children are learning all the time at school, field trips just break it up a little. If you haven't noticed, young children generally don't enjoy museums or art galleries that much. At least in this place they may actually learn something.
    I'm sure this place wouldn't be used for older children, and a lot of the museums and historical sites children are taken to when they're younger probably won't be relevant to what they're learning for years. At my old school, we used to go on trips to the zoo to learn about the animals, and also to old country houses for history. Guess which one I remember most about?

    Anyway, it's a cool idea, and it's refreshing to see something different once in a while.

  6. Tempscire
    Feb 26th, 2008 at 3:55 pm

    Is one of the Hyper-Slush "flavors" Bubonic Plague? D=

  7. Eville
    Feb 26th, 2008 at 4:41 pm

    There is one in Seattle called "the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co."
    http://www.greenwoodspacetravelsupply.com/

    It's for kids and for teachers to pick up things not normally in the curriculum. I'm all for it.

  8. CheeseDuck
    Feb 26th, 2008 at 7:37 pm

    I think its just good old fashioned fun.

  9. jameson
    Feb 26th, 2008 at 8:00 pm

    dont take it so seriously you dummys!

    its a just joke; duhhh.

  10. jonathan
    Feb 26th, 2008 at 9:19 pm

    It's not open. The hired manager bailed and there looking for a new one. Also this place sounds great those other commenters can shut the hell up. it'll be cool just to look around there , you don't have to buy anything, jeez. Also what field trips are you talking about sid and dcer, it's just a store front to make money so kids can learn to read write and express themselves. in fact what the hell are your comments talking about they don't really make sense to anything that was posted.

  11. jonathan
    Feb 27th, 2008 at 12:06 am

    Wow, that you guys have a lot of harsh comments and incorrect information.

    826 is a project started by author Dave Eggers. After publishing a bestselling novel he wanted to use the $$ to give something back to his community, so he started a tutoring center for kids in San Francisco. They could come in after school and get help with writing, both essays and creative stuff.

    To add a bit of fun and satisfy the retail zoning they opened a Pirate Supply Store. Kids LOVE it and stop in all the time, which is unlike any other tutoring center I've heard of.

    Based on the huge success of the first location -- they attracted hundreds of highly qualified volunteers -- they opened locations around the country. The latest is this time travel mart in my neighborhood, and I'm thrilled to see them here.

  12. ted
    Feb 27th, 2008 at 6:30 am

    Makes no sense. Why would you need to buy mammoth meat if you're going there anyway? That's just carrying coals to Newcastle.

  13. Alex
    Feb 27th, 2008 at 6:42 am

    Thanks jonathan - the 826 project didn't say anything about it being started by Dave Eggers. You'd think authors would be a little bit more clear about writing that sort of stuff.

    I couldn't even get a straight info on whose idea it was that started the Time Travel Mart thing.

  14. Matt Woodside
    Feb 28th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

    Don't forget about the Superhero Supply Store run by 826NYC: http://www.superherosupplies.com/

    Flickr photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/simmermon/sets/72157594462555832/

  15. Axel
    Feb 28th, 2008 at 12:01 pm

    Sid, you're obviously a very bored/boring individual. Do your hobbies also include missing the point entirely? Of course they will learn in this environment. Kids learn best when they are having fun, and most kids don't have fun at a museum unless it's one of those hands-on ones where they get to touch everything or make their own little discoveries. Promptly remove the stick from your anus, sir.

  16. Cody
    Mar 3rd, 2008 at 9:53 pm

    Heh, I laughed reading this. Definitely a clever place.

  17. ????
    Nov 16th, 2009 at 11:06 pm

    It's good,and straight

  18. Joe the Timelord
    Nov 19th, 2009 at 11:17 am

    Ted, the Mammoth Chunks are useful for the following reasons: trading with snow natives, attracting (or distracting) predators, and food (obviously).
    Curious about the barbarian repellent, but nothing beats a sword. Well, maybe an axe, if it's awesome enough....

  19. NotSidThankGod
    Nov 26th, 2009 at 3:24 am

    Sid, how ridiculous you are. Kids being taught creativity and you have to come in here and poopoo all over it. You should be ashamed. I wish diarrhea on you.

  20. outer banks rentals
    Dec 6th, 2009 at 9:42 pm

    this is essential thing o carry on in traveling on a long distance travel.

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