Far From Normal

Wonderful little store for people like me who are far from normal! LOL. Husband bought a Dr Suess hat for his office, (he has a hat wall for his patients to wear) got a coloring book for adults and some Kits candy from childhood nostalgia candy!

Love this store!!! Love they have Doctor Who stuff, Star Trek and more!!! Besides finding what I want… they have awesome gift ideas for friends and family! Lots of cute things for bdays and/​or stocking stuffers at Christmas! They might not be as big as a big city store but are great for this little town and you take the kids into it not some other places that carry things children should not see!!!

Far From normal is, in my observation, a novelty store. Nothing more, and nothing less. As far as novelty stores go, it’s great for what it is! They feature all sorts of curios and jokes, as well as a few antiquities and some kitsch items as well. The charm of this store lies in the lively laughter one always hears when shopping. At the risk of responding to a previous commenter; it is what it is. If one wanted swank, couture, or vintage items that capture your imagination better than whoopie cushions and bumper stickers about zombies; well, I guess I can understand why they wouldn’t like it. But if you are looking for mindless laughs, retro chotchkies, or if you are even casually a Dr. Who fan, it makes a great stop on a stroll through our quaint Coupeville Downtown.
I recommend checking out their used books. It seems she only stocks interesting and downright odd reading material to purvey, and a wide assortment of children’s books as well. This store is pretty kid-​friendly in that most items are at child’s eye level, and there aren’t too many breakable items withing reach of their little paws.
All in all, this locally owned joke shop is actually well worth the stop. The staff is friendly and acknowledged me immediately upon entering. The items in the store are funny and unique, but only if you loosen up enough for a good belly laugh in public. Combine this with a visit to The Honey Bear toy store just up the street, and you’re sure to be entertained!

I’m not sure what the owners of Far From Normal are aiming for with their downtown Coupeville store. Based on the name, I was hoping to find a variety of unique and interesting products, but all the store really stocks is a generic assortment of novelty items available at any gift/​variety (looking for a synonym for «novelty») store anywhere. Consider, for example, the tribute to Audrey Hepburn assortment. Sure she’s an icon, but is there really a market – in Coupeville no less – for Audrey Hepburn coffee cups, lunch boxes, books, refrigerator magnets and more?
Ditto Elvis.
Ditto John Wayne.
Does this merchandise really represent what is classified as «Far From Normal» in Coupeville? And what exactly about all this is «Retro» and «Vintage» as the store window proclaims? Really this is just a store full of reproductions and silly items. When was the last time you saw someone walking down the street wear underwear as a hat?
We spent about five minutes in the store and were never once acknowledged by the gentlemen at the register who was more interested in tending to the books than to customers. No hello, no nothing. Apparently our patronage wasn’t worth his time and I’d have to say that the store is not really worth your time either.
To be honest, a three star review might be generous based upon my experience there, but I’m giving Far From Normal the benefit of the doubt because I have a soft spot for locally owned small businesses and I’m genuinely rooting for the owner to get her assortment and customer service fixed. Coupeville could genuinely use a store that represents its own version of Far From Normal, not some Seattle or LA showroom’s version.