I was an avid hunter for like 20 years. Here are a few:
As a young kid walking into TRU and finding tons and tons of LJNs, more than I had ever seen. Jake, Duggan, OMG, so very many. I bought Duggan the first day. We went back over the weekend to get Jake, but he was gone, so I got Bam Bam.
A year later, same TRU, first time I ever saw Hasbros. My Uncle got me Hogan and DiBiase. Great memory.
Wacky Toy Liquidators that was at some remote outlet mall in the middle of nowhere. They had several MOC LJN Honky Tonk Man and several MOC Hasbro Nasty Boys. I’d never seen either in stores, but I’m pretty sure this was after Hasbro had already lost the license. Bought neither. Still kicking myself 25 years later.
Different Toy Liquidators, I think this is early Hasbro days, maybe Summer 91 or 92. There’s a big box of loose LJN Haku figures next to a peg of MOC LJN Rudes. I swear I remember the Rudes having green tights and white boots (like the proto pic), but I’m sure I’m misremembering. 30 years later, still kicking self. If I could go back in time, damn I want all of the stuff from the last two stories.
KB Toys - the 3 for 10 Hasbro clearance. Just bins and bins of hasbros. Yellow cards, red cards, blue cards, oh my!
KB Toys, dying days, Erie PA. The associates didn’t give a f*ck anymore. There were several B people (myself included) allowed into the stockroom to look through the cases. Snagged a 1/500 Jakks Kofi, and like 6 other figs.
Toy Planet in the UK (Derby), first sighting of Legends 1, Elite 2, and Elite 3. Same mall had a different store with one of the last RA series. There was a Goldust and a balloon-headed Cena that I specifically remember.
Forbidden Planet UK - this is the only time I saw the final CS series. I’d given up by then and moved on to the Classic Doctor Who figs.
Switzerland - Mattel 2 packs were ridiculously expensive. Like 70 dollars expensive. Singles weren’t much better at 45. Madness.
January 1, 2010. Feeling VERY worse for wear, as I was briefly back from the UK to see my dad and friends. The night before was NYE (obviously), and I was out with my friend; we were $#!tfaced. Rallied first thing in the morning. Two TRUs nearby. Go to the close one first (BADLY hungover), they have the basics. Picked up Kofi, HHH, and Bourne. Off to the second. They have the elites and two packs. Got Edge, Taker, Rey, and Beth/Santino. Went home and spent the rest of the day violently ill. That was the last time I had tequila. Stay away from the firewater, kiddos.
Fred Meyer, Oregon. Elite 18 was hitting (I think. The series with AJ Lee, Liz, and Ryback). Walk in to find Elite 4 Finlay, and elite 5 Chavo and the variants (Swagger with the singlet on in the package, Sambo jacket Kozlov).Still have the Koz MOC, but bought all.
Toys R Us, dying days. Just wistfully looking around, taking photos, drinking it all in (maaaaaaaaaaan). I went to every nearby TRU in the weeks leading to the close, and kept buying things I didn’t need just because I knew I’d never have that feeling again. Last purchase was the first Elite Sami Zayn. Also bought the Raw ring with the exclusive Goldberg, and many other things, but I distinctly remember Sami being the last.
As you might have deduced from this post, figure hunting was a passion of mine for a very long time. This is just a drop in the bucket for stories (although these are probably the best). These days hunting isn’t nearly as fun with nothing around...and being in my late 30s of course. I still check every store with a toy section just for old times sake.