#2 - The First Build

Before Mecha Hangar was a store, it was just a box on a shelf.

Years ago, I used to visit a small anime shop whenever I traveled to Virginia. I’d browse the figurines, the trinkets, the displays — and every time, I’d walk past the Gunpla kits.

I always told myself, “Maybe next time.”

Until one day I didn’t.

I picked up the MG Barbatos. Not exactly a beginner kit. I had no idea what I was getting into.

But when I opened that box and started building, something clicked.

I grew up loving LEGO — the physicality of snapping pieces together, watching something take shape in your hands. Gunpla felt like that, but elevated. More detailed. More deliberate. More rewarding.

That first build turned into more builds.

These days, I mostly do straight builds with aftermarket water slides. Clean panel lines. Careful assembly. Taking my time. I’m not a master customizer — not yet. But that’s part of the point.

Mecha Hangar isn’t being built by someone who claims to know everything about the hobby.

It’s being built by someone who loves it, who respects it, and who wants to grow alongside the community.

What frustrates me most about the hobby isn’t other stores — the big online retailers do a great job. It’s the lack of physical spaces and limited stock in many local shops. It’s hard to find a place that feels intentionally built for Gunpla builders.

That’s what Mecha Hangar is working toward.

Right now, we’re starting online. Learning. Curating thoughtfully. Building the foundation correctly.

Not rushing.

Not trying to be everything at once.

Just building carefully — the same way we build our kits.

Every store, like every Gunpla, starts with the first piece.

This is ours.

— Kevin
Founder, Mecha Hangar