POP MART has launched its first Montgomery County vending machine at Westfield Montgomery Mall’s dining terrace (7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, MD, near CAVA), and customers have been lining up for a chance to buy its popular designer toys. While the machine has been a hit, some customers reported that a surge in purchases of Labubu figures caused it to shut down.
Known for its collectible designer toys sold in blind boxes– where buyers don’t know exactly what they’ll get– POP MART’s offerings include the viral Labubu characters from “The Monsters” collection, created by designer Kasing Lung.
Fans have taken to social media and online forums to ask when new items will be stocked, while some have shared stories of single customers buying so many products that the machine crashed. There have even been requests for mall staff to monitor the machine, although this likely isn’t feasible since Robo Shops are designed to operate entirely digitally.
POP MART currently has three Maryland locations: the vending machine at Westfield Montgomery Mall, a pop-up shop in Columbia Mall (Columbia, MD), and another vending machine at Annapolis Mall (Annapolis, MD).