Even as Nick Mendoza III looks ahead to attending events like the Academy Awards, he spends a lot of his time hosting his own community activities at his Anaheim-based Funko pop culture shop, Bands For Arms.
Mendoza’s career paths span acting in commercials, reality TV and pilots, and singing as well as serving in the military. More recently, he’s a shop owner with a passion for giving back. Through his Anaheim Pop Up Experiences, he’s hosted a Hello Kitty-themed photo op, The Grinch as part of The Grinchmas House for the holidays, haunted house The Circus of Nightmares for Halloween, and most recently, his current walk-through/photo op The VillainTine Nights — full of villains, Valentine’s cheer and free Love Potion Drink (non-alcoholic Strawberry Kiwi Cooler).
Denise Taylor, of Anaheim, learned about Mendoza’s shop and events through her son.
“My son wanted to get into collecting Funko Pops, so we went to check out the shop,” Taylor said. “My son and I entered their costume contest in October [2023] and won. I then started to follow Nick and all the activities he does with the shop.”
The Grinchmas House has been a hit for a couple of holiday seasons now. Most of Mendoza’s events include a photo op and activity involving prizes that include gift certificates to use in the store.
Mendoza often donates some of the sales of his Funko/pop culture novelty shop during events to various charities, including CHOC and organizations that support the military. Giving back is why he started Bands For Arms on Jan. 8, 2010. Bands For Arms are bracelets designed for each military branch with 50 percent of the sale price going to charities that support the military, as well as those supporting disaster relief programs, autism and cancer research.
“I began Bands For Arms in 2010 for a friend who was killed in action in 2009,” said Mendoza, who served in the U.S. Navy in Naval Intelligence in Explosive Ordnance Disposal from 2006 to 2016. “The friend, a Marine who was bullied in his platoon aboard my first duty station in 2007 in Yokosuka, Japan. … I took him under my wing and I became his mentor. We would always hang out on the ship during deployments and off the ship wherever we ported.”
He said that over time they became friends with the other Marines.
“At the end of the Marines’ time aboard my command ship, my friend, the bullied Marine, befriended 17 Marines that used to once bully him,” Mendoza said. “He asked for a piece of their uniform to create a bracelet. Before they left, he presented me with the bracelet he made, describing it as such: The body of the bracelet, made with 17 pieces of uniforms, symbolizes the 17 Marines that were once bullies to him.”
One end had a hoop, representing Mendoza, and the other end had a button, representing the Marine himself.
“When latched together, it represented the friendship that was formed and developed because of me,” Mendoza said. “He made a promise with me to continue helping others that come into my life and always look at the bracelet he made me, to remind me of what I have done for him.”
Mendoza said his friend grew as a leader in the Marine Corps and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 when he was killed.
“When I found this out, I was devastated and wanted to do something for his family,” Mendoza said. “In January 2010, I launched Bands For Arms, taking his idea of the military uniform bracelet and returning back the sales of each bracelet sold toward charities that support the military.”
Though he launched Bands For Arms in 2010, Mendoza has owned the physical store on Lemon Street — which is also part home — since September 2016. In addition to a haunted walk-through, he offers Haunted Basement Tours for paranormal investigation during the Halloween season.
Michelle Tung, of La Habra and who works for the city of Anaheim, said she found Bands For Arms on Instagram.
“I think events like these are important because it brings together people with common interests and gives them time to bond,” Tung said.
The Gory Details
The VillainTine Nights
Jan. 17-Feb. 15, 2025
7 pm-9 pm, Friday through Sunday
>>Get get a free VillainTine’s Gift after the photo op with all the villains.
>>It’s free to see and runs unless there’s bad weather.
>>You can get free tickets online for any of the nights operating through the link in their Instagram bio: @theanaheimpopups
