I have a few favourite places to shop in Burnaby.
They are places where I find things I can’t really find anywhere else. One is Miniso on Burnaby Mountain and the other is called Oomomo.
Oomomo is a self-described “Japanese variety store” that has locations in Metropolis at Metrotown and Lougheed Town Centre.
If you haven’t been before, you should check it out. Oomomo is the kind of place where you can find all those tiny little things that make your life easier and, well, a little cuter.
“Variety” is the key word because there is shelf after shelf after shelf of stuff, from hair products to schools supplies to kitchenware. They even have all my favourite Japanese desserts, including Pocky sticks.
And everything is from Japan.
“Oomomo is a Japanese variety store in Canada,” says a posting on the Oomomo website. “We stand for delivering affordable quality alternative to your lifestyle. Our mission is to bring new and trending products in Japan to Canada every month. Our stores are filled with high quality and stylish goods, all at an affordable price. From kitchenware, school supplies, organizers to beauty products, we’ve got you covered for every need. We are your one-stop for everything. All of our items have been tested in Japan, staying true to our core vision of authentic Japanese quality.”
Things got grim for a while due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down all of Oomomo’s stores in Burnaby, but since reopening I’ve noticed the place is surging with a steady traffic of customers.
Things seem like they are close to being where they were before the pandemic, based on how many customers I see in the stores.
Retail is really hurting right now so it’s nice to see some stores managing during this terrible time.
Let’s just hope people in Burnaby continue to help flatten the curve so we can keep things moving forward.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
