CHEYENNE - SHIKI, a Japanese-themed claw machine and collectibles shop that offers, "all things anime and pop culture," is in the process of setting up shop at Frontier Mall, located across the hall from Dillard's.
A glance at the history
This space was most recently occupied by Bourbon Street Candy Co which closed in early 2025. According to the mall directory included in the Wyoming State Tribune-Eagle dated Mar. 17, 18, 1981, this space was originally occupied by a shop called Naturalizer/Buster Brown.
| READ MORE: Bourbon Street Candy Co closes mall location |
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Archives of the Frontier Mall website and directory indicate that, as of 2003, this space was occupied by Ritz Camera One Hour Photo. As of 2004, this space was occupied by All Wild & Western; this business would continue to occupy this space until at least 2007.
 Most recent and former Bourbon Street Candy Co seen in mid-2025 - Optopolis |
As of 2010, the space was occupied by Union Wireless, continuing until approximately 2016. Prior to Bourbon Street Candy Co and the 2023 DKG Annual Used Book Sale, this space was occupied by Creative Compass.
SHIKI is anticipated to open mid-August!
In late July (approximately one month after discovering this new business), Optopolis observed mostly-Japanese-themed advertisements displayed in the windows of SHIKI's storefront, advertising various different toys and collectibles like Nintendo Kirby Plushies, Kuromi Pouches, and Mofusand Key Chains, among other advertisements.
| TOP LEFT: Kuromi Ad | TOP RIGHT: Plushie Ad | BOTTOM: Other various ads including Mofusand - Optopolis |
SHIKI's branding could also be seen displayed in the windows; below the business's name displays the text, "Spin it. Win it. Collect It. Gashapon, claws, Blind boxes, and more!" The store's Frontier Mall page also includes this info and then states, "Whether you're just hunting for a collectible or just love unique treasures, SHIKI is your go-to spot." Below their logo and SHIKI-name-plate is some Japanese text, 四季, which according to Google Translate, literally means, "four seasons."
According to Wikipedia, "Gashapon is a kind of vending machine-dispensed capsule toy," and it's popular in Japan. These capsule toys can also come in a "blind-box," where the same product is sold randomly out of sealed cardboard packages instead of via a claw machine.
➥ Opening date announced: Aug 16th
On August 7th, 2025, SHIKI posted to their Facebook page that, "the countdown is on!" They stated that their doors open on August 16th. In this post, they further clarify that you can, "collect, explore, or just vibe with all things anime and pop culture." For the first day, visitors are encouraged to, "be there for surprises, exclusive items, & first-day giveaways!" Their Facebook page includes imagery of more items you may find at SHIKI.
| TOP LEFT: SHIKI storefront seen in Aug 2025 | TOP RIGHT: SHIKI branding in window - Optopolis |
SHIKI is located at space 68 in Frontier Mall. Their hours are anticipated to match mall hours, which are Monday to Saturday at 10 AM to 8 PM and Sunday at 12 PM to 6 PM.
➥ This doesn't appear to be the owner's first rodeo
Shiki LLC was initially filed with the State of Wyoming in June 2025. Under the parties section of this page, Mauricio S. is listed as an organizer. This name also appears to be associated with Battle Royale. Battle Royale was, according to Visit Greeley, "your ultimate destination for action-packed, interactive fun." Located at Greeley Mall, the shop offered activities around Nerf battles, gel blasters, dodge ball, archery tag, and Slime Factory.
According to their Facebook page, however, the business appears to have temporarily closed with an unclear future. They stated on June 2nd that, "after 3 amazing years, Battle Royale will be closing its doors for now." It also states, "Though we're saying goodbye for now, this isn't the end. We're already dreaming up ways to bring Battle Royale back, even bigger and better in the future." The post finishes by saying, "Stay tuned – the battle will return!"
SHIKI is now open! Here's what it looks like!
At 3 PM on August 16th, SHIKI was open for business as confirmed by workers and by SHIKI's Facebook Page. Workers at SHIKI told Optopolis the shop will be open normal mall hours going forward. Items found inside of SHIKI reflect the teaser ads Optopolis observed several weeks ago, being themed primarily around anime topics.
| TOP LEFT: Claw Machines | TOP RIGHT: Some of the many items found in the claw machines BOTTOM: One of several units that display blind boxes - Optopolis |
Upon entering, the first thing guests are likely to notice are the blind boxes piled onto various tables in the center of the room. Lining two of the walls is a mixture of more than thirty different machines (some claws, some gachapon), each containing various collectibles.
Info above the gachapon machines explains how to use the machines; you exchange cash for tokens (1 token = US$2.00), then select a device and insert the appropriate amount of tokens. From there, it works like a classic, house-hold or commercial gumball machine.
| TOP: Instructions for gachapon machines | BOTTOM: Gachapon machines; notice more blind boxes in the background - Optopolis |
As discussed above... The store (which includes a significant amount of Japanese-themed branding) is located next door to Go Calendar, Games, Toys, Etc. and near Planet Fitness. Their hours are Monday to Saturday at 10 AM to 8 PM, Sunday at 12 PM to 6 PM.
Your thoughts...
What do you think of this development? Will you be trying their claw machines? How hard do you think it'll be to use the machines? Let us know your thoughts on this new business in the comments!
Published: 08/14/2025 at 1:49 PM MT
Updated: 08/16/2025 at 9:36 PM MT to better clarify details in this article that explain what this place is. Also added info about opening day.