The unofficial searcher’s guide for Squishmallow hunting

by MOLLY AVERY

Staff Writer

In 2017, Kellytoy released a new brand of stuffed animals called Squishmallows. For three years, the company produced and sold them to a small pool of customers, but during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Squishmallows went viral on TikTok and rose in popularity. 

Since their initial peak, the Squishmallow obsession has continued; they’ve become a hot item to collect for all age groups, especially college-aged students. Part of the thrill of collecting these stuffed animals is the search. While many stores sell Squishmallows, they all sell a different variety and often sell out quickly, so finding the one you want for a fair retail price isn’t easy. 

With many stores pricing their Squishmallows differently, there is no exact retail price. However, the typical retail price for Squishmallows goes as follows. $5 for a 5-inch, $10 for an 8-inch, $20 for a 16-inch, $30 for a 20-inch and $40 for a 24-inch. Though there are other varying sizes, these are the most common and popular ones. 

If you’re like me, a college student on a budget, it gets costly to collect. Since their growth in popularity, Squishmallow prices have slowly been increasing, with many stores price-gouging. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best places, ranked from worst to best, to search for Squishmallows in Fredericksburg on a budget.

Number 10: CVS

I’m starting to think Squishmallows being sold at CVS is a myth that the online squish community made up to mess with me. I’ve heard of plenty of other people having success at CVS stores but have yet to find anything for myself at one. However, I keep checking, especially since CVS is said to have an exclusive Valentine’s Day collection for cheap prices. 

Number 9: Hot Topic

Hot Topic is quick to sell whatever the latest trend is, Squishmallows included. That being said, the store is a hit or miss. They usually only sell mystery Squishmallow bags at their stores, so you aren’t guaranteed to get what you want. For $22, it’s really not worth the risk.

Number 8: Party City

The only reason Party City made it on the list is due to the fact that the Squishmallows they stock tend to be exclusive to their stores only, and they are quite adorable. However, their prices run high. A 12-inch Squishmallow at Party City goes for $32. For reference, a 16-inch Squishmallow at a typical retail store costs about $20. If you’re collecting on a budget, you can skip Party City. 

Number 7: Aldi 

You’re guaranteed a great price for just about anything at Aldi. Every once in a while, the store will stock up with various Squishmallow products. Sometimes they’re 12-inch Squishmallows, and other times they have box sets of 4.5-inch Squishmallows. Since they have these amazing prices for these popular toys, as soon as any Squishmallow hits the shelf at Aldi, it’s almost immediately bought. I only check Aldi if I happen to pass it while running other errands. 

Number 6: Costco 

My friends and I were lucky enough to find some 16-inch Squishmallows for $10.00 each at Costco last September. While their prices are a bit higher now, they are incredibly fair and are close to the typical retail price. If you’re like me though, you don’t have a Costco membership. If I ever want to go to Costco, I have to rely on my friend who does have a membership. 

Number 5: Hallmark

What’s nice about visiting Hallmark is that you’re always guaranteed to find Squishmallows. Most other places on this list can sell out and not restock Squishmallows for extended periods of time. However, Hallmark has made it a priority to keep itself well stocked. They restock Squishmallows on Tuesdays, so that’s the day to go for the newest ones. The only fallback to Hallmark is that their prices are a bit higher than other places. An 8-inch Squishmallow that could be found at Five Below for $5.55 sells for $13 at Hallmark. It’s not nearly as bad of a price gouge as Party City, but for those on a budget, there are cheaper alternatives. 

Number 4: Walmart

If you can get over the extreme feeling of dread that creeps in upon visiting a Walmart, it’s a great place to get Squishmallows. They’re currently carrying exclusive Valentine’s Day Squishmallows ranging from $5 to $10. Outside of the seasonal Squishmallows, Walmart will randomly place giant bins of 16-inch Squishmallows for $15 around the store. The best places to look for these bins are the toy aisles and, oddly enough, the garden center. 

Number 3: Walgreens

Despite being a pharmacy first and foremost, Walgreens has an aisle of toys. In this aisle, people can find typical retail-priced Squishmallows. I frequent a Walgreens about 10 minutes away from campus and they usually always have some in stock. What makes Walgreens so special, though, is that the majority of the Squishmallows they sell are exclusive to Walgreens only, so you won’t find them in other stores.

Number 2: Target

A trip to Target will cure any problem you might have. While you’re there, you can find Squishmallows for the typical retail price. Much like Walgreens, Target carries a fair amount of Squishmallows that can’t be found at other stores. They’ve recently become better at keeping Squishmallows well-stocked, so you can almost always find one when you go. 

Number 1: Five Below

Five Below is a safe haven for college students everywhere. Even with their prices on some items increasing to above $5, they still have many bargains. 8-inch Squishmallows can be found for $5.55 and occasionally 4.5-inch “Squishes” can be found for $4. Due to how incredibly cheap they are, they sell fast; I’ve found that the best day to go is usually Sunday when most stores restock their collection if they have any to restock with. Sometimes, Five Below will do “Sunday Squishday,” an event where stores are guaranteed to restock, sometimes with new Squishmallows that were not previously sold at Five Below. Collectors can check for that event via their social media accounts. If you aren’t having luck in stores, you can also order online. Shipping is $7.50 on all orders no matter how large or small. When it comes to saving money while collecting Squishmallows, Five Below is the best place to look. 

This isn’t every store you can buy Squishmallows at in Fredericksburg. GameStop, Cracker Barrel, Claire’s, independent toy stores and a myriad of other places also sell them. 

Whether you want to avidly or casually collect Squishmallows, most collectors can all agree that the best part of collecting is the hunt. Depending on how many Squishmallows you intend to collect, the price can add up quite quickly. This should be an activity everyone can enjoy, whether you have a budget or not, and thankfully the right stores make that possible. Happy hunting to all my fellow Squish collectors!