It's hard to believe, but Anime Island has been open for TWO WHOLE YEARS! Our family decided we wanted to do this anime thing back in December 2022. With the EC Plaza's gracious assistance, we celebrated our grand opening on the other side of the Plaza in May 2023 then moved to our current location at 4060 ECP in November 2023. We've come a long way since the days of the Plushie Pool and the Junket cooler storage. (But not so far a distance - some of you may have even seen us walking our cabinets and cases across the plaza on dollies!) We are so grateful to have grown up and raised our family in the East Bay Area, and now more than ever appreciate all that this community is and offers. Amy's experience growing up as part of a family business was unique in its community ties (how many jewelry stores have you known that left their back door unlocked so friends could walk in and pour themselves coffee on their way up to the front to visit?). We might not leave our back door unlocked nowadays, but we still strive to provide a similar sense of comfort, belonging, and community.