If you're a lover of dad jokes and pop culture, you can find nearly any kitchenware item you need at Hipster Lasers, carved right from Canadian maple wood. It may even quell the guilt of your guilty pleasure purchase, since you can at least tell yourself you're gaining a useful piece of kitchenware based on your favourite fandom.
Nearly a decade in, the Vaughan-based company has built a loyal following by travelling to about 45 shows a year, betting on its puns and high-quality wood pieces made to stand the test of time. It was back at this year's Fan Expo in Toronto.
"We're a local company and we make everything ourselves. So all made out of Canadian maple. All very punny," Candice, the owner's partner, who is helping run the booth, said. "We're always just kind of turning our favourite fandoms into something fun for the kitchen."
Alex Saloomi has run Hipster Lasers since 2016, working as its graphic designer and laser technician out of a wood workshop in Vaughan, off Highway 7, where all the magic happens. Growing up in a family that owned its own carpentry shop meant that by birthright, Saloomi developed an interest in all things woodworking and carpentry. The company's display table is filled with coasters, cutting boards and custom pieces inspired by beloved pop-culture series, including anime, comics, fantasy, gaming, horror and sci-fi, with everything from Hello Kitty to Hell Star imprints. Many are based on Saloomi's all-time favourite fandoms.
Hipster Lasers didn't begin with a pop-culture focus, though. It started out making cake toppers, seating charts and other wood creations for weddings and special occasions before Saloomi began turning his all-time favourite fandoms into woodwork creations that quickly gained love from friends and family.
Even a small piece of woodwork takes time. Holding up one of her favourites, a "Hello Coffee" coaster featuring a Hello Kitty imprint, Candice walked through what goes into producing just one, "So it takes us about five whole days to make one coaster ready for your table," she said. "So we do the laser cutting and engraving but then there's two coats of varnish, two rounds of sanding and a polish. So they're actually durable, ready for your beverages."
The proof of that work, Candice said, is in the customers who never stop using them and return to visit the booth year after year, one of the pair's favourite parts of travelling to pop-up shows.
"I will say the longest running customer has used this daily for 10 years so we really, I am now quality control so we make a quality product that lasts which is why people do come back time and time again and like they now are giving them to friends and family and all of that good stuff," she said. "The process can be extensive but it's worth it."
Between shows, which have taken the company from the Canadian National Exhibition to Montreal Comic Con, Hipster Lasers sells online through Etsy. But catching up with those familiar faces in person is one of the pair's favourite parts of attending Fan Expo.
"Stay true to yourself and be consistent. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication," Candice said. "But you know when you are doing something that you love and you're enjoying yourself, I mean I feel like that's the best path to just aligning with what you want to do and what you love."
