We previously took a look at the clothing sold at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, now we continue the shopping spree with a tour of the Marketplace located in Black Spire Outpost. This row of stalls, similar in appearance to those found in Morocco, is home to such venues as the Creature Stall, the Toydarian Toymaker, and Jewels of Bith.
Here we explore each storefront and offer a survey of their wares. Grab your Batuuan Credits and let’s kick this tour into Lightspeed. Punch it, Chewie!
Creature Stall
As you enter the Creature Stall, there are two things that will catch your eye right away. The first is the life-size Loth Cat, sleeping in a cage in the center of the stall. This cutie moves as if it were alive. Its tail sways while making little purring noises. This is the biggest of the creature cages in the stall but there are others to look at as well.
The second detail is right above your ahead (like I said in the Best Themed Shops Guide, “When in a shop, look up!”). There are woven baskets, light boxes, and even a few additional cages hanging from the ceiling. Watch the cage hanging near the register for a moment and you’ll see the eyes inside blink.
Let’s talk about the creatures themselves. The stall actually has a good variety. Some are plush, others are rubber. Some are more cute, others definitely lean towards grotesque. And all of them are “creatures with features,” meaning that every critter does “something.” The Porg, for instance, squawks and flaps its wings.
Along with the smaller Loth Cats and the green, rubbery Dewbacks shown above, here are the creatures available.
Should you choose to adopt a creature of your own, it is packed in a special “creature carrier” to be transported home.
If you’re thinking, “Hold up, where are the Kowakian Monkey Lizards?” Don’t panic, they are sold at a kiosk just outside the stall to help cut down on the congestion inside.
Toydarian Toymaker
As far as theming goes, the Toydarian Toymaker wins the gold medal. Just passing by, your eye catches Zabaka, one of the stall’s two owners, working through the frosted window above the register.
Lining the tops of the shelves are tons of toys that I truly wish were for sale.
The merchandise for sale is still pretty impressive, though. The headliners are the rag dolls (think Star Wars Pook-a-Looz) made in the likenesses of characters from the Star Wars series, including Star Wars Rebels. The dolls’ size varies from character to character; from the teeny Porg to the impressively larger Jabba the Hutt.
For those in a more competitive mood, Toydarian Toymaker offers a Dejarik board game, modeled after the holographic version played in the Millennium Falcon in A New Hope. A checkers board is on the underside of the board when you want to play something more familiar.
The card game, Sabacc, is also available at the stall. It accommodates two to eight players, which is a decent range.
Wooden toys of starships, vehicles, and even a few characters, line several of the shelves. Highlights include a replica of Jynn Erso’s wooden Storm Trooper from Rogue One as well a music box that plays the Imperial March.
This was a particularly fun stall to peruse. The only issue with it is the line for the register queues up on the inside of the store, making it hard to look around at times.
Jewels of Bith
The last store in the Galaxy’s Edge Marketplace is Jewels Of Bith. This stall has a bit of an identity crisis. There are no jewels, jewelry, or even accessories to be found within. The only trinket-like items inside are a selection of trading pins. But for the most part, it feels like a repository for the merchandise that isn’t well-themed enough to fit in any other place. Jewels of Bith actually feels more like a traditional gift stand found in other parts of the Parks.
The only real theming in this stall is found in the back. It’s what appears to be smelting equipment, with a stove, a variety of ore, and tool set.
The branding on some of the products detracts from the realism of the environment as well.
Jewels of Bith is the place to purchase Millennium Falcon-themed items, like this diorama and mug.
And here are the pins I mentioned earlier. There are two displays in the stall dedicated to pins and pin trading accessories. Again, lots of branding on the merchandise.
That is not to say that there wasn’t anything eye-catching in the mix. The collection of 24 postcards from different galactic destinations was a fun find.
So were the two patches found on the upper portion of this display board.
Final thoughts on the Marketplace
Overall, the Galaxy’s Edge Marketplace was a fun shopping area to experience. However, my time there was during the reservation-only period. And with the cramped quarters in the shops, I think the area and its check-out lines could get substantially worse if more people are let i to the land. Jewels of Bith notwithstanding, the theming is superb but ease of movement may have been the price they paid for that realism.
A big thank-you to the MiceChat photo crew for helping with this piece!
You must be logged in to post a comment.