Hello, We're Happy Piranha!
We're a family run store at 18 Pydar Street in Truro, Cornwall, where you can find a menagerie of interesting gift ideas; from anime and manga merchandise and goods from Japan, to pop-culture collectibles, trading card games and accessories, our own handmade scented candles and wax melts and even a selection of quirky home décor. It'd take too long to list it all, so why not come and look!
Next door to Happy Piranha you can find Piranha Café; our board game café and event space, home to a variety of hobby clubs and groups. Whether you're into trading cards games such as Pokémon and Magic the Gathering, tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer 40k or other wargames, board games, books, crafting or something else, it's a place to celebrate the things uou enjoy.
How it All Started
There's Josh & Sam
We’re twins. We look sort of similar on the outside, but aren’t that similar on the inside, though we do share a fondness for the same things. Josh is the ugly one of course.
Fantasy, Sci-fi, adventure and gaming are all part of what makes us Happy Piranhas. Life’s too serious to be taken seriously all the time, so we like to have fun where we can! We grew up with Pokemon, Nintendo, Zelda and Harry Potter - whoever didn’t missed out. We could add a lot more to that list, but it would take a while.
We grew up in St. Agnes, Cornwall, back when it was a sleepy village: When it had an abandoned film studios that we’d play hide and seek in.
There's Happy Piranha
Fast forward to after secondary school and after a year of mostly World of Warcraft, we went to University, which meant going away.
Josh studied graphic design but didn't like it that much. He decided he'd rather design the things he enjoys instead of the fonts he was told to.
I studied marine conservation in York and liked it a bit more, but didn't see a piranha while diving. At least our name is nautical. so I haven't diverged too far…
In 2018 Josh decided to take the plunge and see what the dying high street was all about, so he got some keys to a brick and mortar store.
It's not Just us Though
Eventually everyone's been roped in. and we have have a variety of friends, family, customers and staff who we’re grateful to have helping us out too.
Don't forget to say hi to them if you drop by… Especially Toady (our head of customer relations), he’s the hardest grafter.
Over time we’ve filled Happy Piranha with all manner of quirky, geeky and unusual things; from bowls, to board games and stuff from Japan. Some things we enjoy and some things others might do too.
There's a Café Now TOO!
In our effort to pump some life back into the high-street, we moved into the other empty building next door.
We refuse to let it go down without a fight. We remember when going into town used to be fun and not just a necessity. If we don’t try, it won’t even be that anymore.
Piranha Café is a themed café, venue and club house, located next door at 19 Pydar Street, Truro, Cornwall.
A café during the day, where you can book out board games to play too, in the evening we host a variety of clubs and events; from board and miniature gaming, to craft clubs and Dungeons & Dragons.
I’d be Surprised if You’ve Read This Far
Anyway, that's enough about us and what we do and if you've made it this far you should probably get a gold star or something.
So, we invite you to come to our old stomping ground, where we used to hang out with that other guy dressed as a Ghostbuster (also called Josh) when we were growing up, and our other friends, some of whom were also called Josh. It seems Cornwall liked that name in the 90's.
You can find the Happy Piranha at 18 Pydar Street, Truro, Cornwall and Piranha café at 19 Pydar Street next door. Bring your childish enthusiasm and leave your real world baggage at the door. Because you're never too old to stop liking what you do.