Why the popup is at The Side Quest

I’m starting plamo.fans as a small shelf of Japanese plastic model kits inside The Side Quest in downtown Everett.

The Side Quest is a third place: somewhere that isn’t home or work, where people come to spend time and run into each other. An arcade already draws people who like to play and make things, and model kits fit in there. You can pick one up at the counter and start it the same day.

It’s also an affordable hobby to start. Most kits snap together without glue or paint, and a pair of side cutters is the only tool a first build needs.

You can do as little or as much as you want with a kit. Some people build it straight from the box. Others sand the nub marks, add panel lines, paint it or swap parts. The same kit works either way.

Building one is good practice, too. Cutting and fitting small parts takes hand-eye coordination, keeping track of them takes attention to detail, and the manual has to be followed step by step.

The shelf is open whenever The Side Quest is open. If you’re new to this, the shelf guide explains how a kit goes together and what the grades mean.