The Only LA Store That Sells Mammoth Chunks & Robot Milk While Funding Youth Writing Programs

The Time Travel Mart in Los Angeles

Opened in 2008, this is one of the storefronts for 826LA, a nonprofit founded in 2005 that helps kids ages 6-18 with writing skills. The small shop sells things like mammoth chunks, robot milk, and Viking odorant, all while the back of the store hosts 20-30 students daily for free writing programs.

When you stop by, staff might even greet you by saying they saw your future self in the shop earlier. And come to think of it, you’ll have no proof you didn’t.

The Strange Shops Helping Kids Across America

Los Angeles lucked out as the only city with two 826 centers, but similar unusual shops exist across the country. San Francisco has a pirate supply store, NYC offers a Superhero Supply Company, and Chicago houses a secret agent supply store.

Each location supports its local 826 chapter while maintaining the same educational mission. The network now spans eight cities total.

LA’s 2 Stores That Bend Time And Space

The store opened in Echo Park in 2008 and expanded to a second location in Mar Vista in 2012. Each spot has its own personality. The Echo Park location feels like a convenience store you might stop at for a late-night snack.

Meanwhile, Mar Vista gives off more general store vibes with nautical touches throughout. Both carry different merchandise, so visiting one doesn’t mean you’ve seen it all.

The organization turns 20 in 2025, and they’re planning special events and releasing limited-edition items to mark the occasion. You might want to visit both locations to experience the full spectrum of temporal retail.

The Staff Are Always in Character

The staff doesn’t just work at a time travel store. They live it. When you stop by, someone might greet you as if they met your future self yesterday or ask which century you’re visiting from.

The store’s Employee of the Month board features historical figures or robots receiving recognition for their outstanding service. The employees also undergo training in proper temporal etiquette and maintain the time travel illusion no matter how busy the store gets.

Why Student Books Are Kept In A Freezer

Student publications are appropriately displayed in a freezer to “preserve” literature from various time periods. This creative presentation showcases work from 826LA’s workshops and tutoring sessions in a way that fits the store’s theme.

As the nonprofit gears up for its 20th anniversary, it plans to publish 20 new books of student writing. These aren’t amateur productions. Each book goes through professional editing, design, and illustration processes, giving students real publishing experience.

Pick Up The Phone And Talk To Other Centuries

Next time you visit, pick up the vintage payphone inside the store. You’ll hear recorded messages from various eras, created by local writers and voice actors. Some sound like they’re from ancient civilizations while others seem to come from societies that don’t exist yet.

You can also mail a postcard to your future self using their temporal postal service. The store keeps a wall of undeliverable messages from time periods that haven’t happened yet.

Time Problems Built Into The Store Design

Time travel contradictions appear throughout the store design. A plaque above the door commemorates the future living place of time travel’s inventor. Look for the slush machine that’s permanently “out of order today” with a sign suggesting you “come back yesterday” to get a drink.

Even the pricing sometimes reflects temporal economics, with inflation or depreciation based on an item’s era. These thoughtful details reward observant visitors and deepen the store’s commitment to its concept.

Shopping For Stuff From Every Time Period

The store carries items you won’t find anywhere else in this timeline. Viking Odorant, Robot Toupees, Hindsight Glasses, and Dolly’s Anti-Cloning Fluid represent just a few of their temporal curiosities.

New products regularly appear on shelves, including seasonal offerings like “Summer Solstice of 3000 BCE” sunscreen or “Y3K Preparation Kits.”

Despite all these creative options, Mammoth Chunks remains their bestseller. It’s actually just cleverly packaged jerky, but the presentation makes it something special.

Dead Writers Who Come Back To Life

Literary history comes alive through special programming. Since 2008, 826LA has presented Dead Author Readings, where deceased writers like Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe “read” from their works and answer audience questions.

Comedians and actors portray these literary figures with research-based authenticity and improvisational flair. The concept has grown to include “Time Traveler’s Book Club” discussions and “Write Like It’s 1899” workshops.

Old Things In Glass Cases

Display cases throughout the store contain “artifacts” from across time. You might see Roman chariot parking tickets, medieval smartphone prototypes, or obsolete technology from the future.

Each item comes with a detailed plaque explaining its historical significance. Local artists contribute to this ever-changing collection, which rotates with the seasons.

The craftsmanship has impressed actual museum curators, who have borrowed pieces for exhibitions on speculative design.

How Your Weird Idea Might End Up On The Shelf

Got an idea for a time-travel product? If you present your concept to employees, they might help design it for sale in the store. Several popular items began as customer suggestions, including “Temporal Jetlag Pills” and “Paradox Resolution Forms.”

Quarterly product development workshops let visitors collaborate with designers on new merchandise concepts. When they select your idea, you receive credit and a percentage of sales goes toward the education programs.

The Window Display Where Cavemen Meet Robots

First impressions matter, especially across time periods. The storefront window features a caveman mannequin shaking hands with a robot, symbolizing the store’s temporal range.

These displays change every three months with scenes designed by local artists. Past installations have included dinosaurs using laptops, Victorian-era astronauts, and future archeologists digging up present-day artifacts.

Visiting the Time Travel Mart

You can find the Time Travel Mart in two Los Angeles neighborhoods:

• Echo Park: 1714 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
• Mar Vista: 12515 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Both locations welcome time travelers daily from 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

You can support their mission beyond shopping too. Direct donations start at just $2 and help provide supplies for student programs. For those wanting to make a bigger impact, monthly supporter options exist.