Curious Things Found at Longtime Local Shop

, 2033 Broadway St., Redwood City

Alex Sese has been a businessman since before he was 10 years old.

Back in the Philippines, Sese sold candy and other items to make extra money as a child.

“Since I was young, I’ve been doing this—buying and selling,” he said with a laugh. "Probably since grade three or four."

Today, Sese is the owner of the successful shop, Curious Things, which has been a staple of downtown Redwood City for more than 15 years.

When Sese first came to Redwood City from the Philippines around 1984, he had a small retail space on Main Street, where he sold antiques and other collectibles for a few years.

“After that, I tried to get my own store,” he recalls. “But, antiques, at the time, weren’t doing so well.”

So, Sese decided to try his hand at selling collectible toys—and finally found himself a winning business.

Curious Things is now a successful store that draws in toy enthusiasts from far and wide. The store’s name is a nod to the fact that, you never know what you’re going to find when you walk inside.

The first thing that catches one’s eye upon entering Curious Things are the walls and walls of cars—Sese says Hot Wheels are the most profitable part of his store’s business. He sells more recent Hot Wheels releases for as low as $1.25 each, all the way up to rare and hard-to-find Hot Wheels for as much as $15 a piece.

Curious Things also sells Matchbox cars, rare gift sets and other model cars.

Move to the back of the store, and you’ll find racks of collectible dolls and figurines—everything from the Simpsons; to the Smurfs; to superheroes like Thor, Batman and Wonder Woman; to even dolls of the band KISS.

Sese says he shops for the best rare toys to sell in his shop all year round.

“I go to toy shows, garage sales, flea markets. Or, buying other people’s collectibles when they get tired of them,” he explains. “I do a little bit on eBay, but not much. I like to keep things here, in the store.”

Sese is a fully involved store owner, who can be found most days behind the counter, ready to greet customers and help them to find the perfect collectible toy.

See “Sprouts and Shutters” and "Booming Businesses" on Patch every Monday, for the latest in small business news for Redwood City. Read about new stores that are opening, which ones that are closing, and profiles on the businesses that have been around for a long time.