Bandra's unique 3D printing store redefines pop culture fandom

The machine prints designs using edible food colour

A Mural sporting caricatures of Marvel superheroes sipping coffee greets us when we enter Wonder By House of 3D that opened on October 24. Nestled in Pali Hill, the striking blues of the store's ambience instantly catch our eye. What brings us to this emerging hotspot for all things popular culture are their inviting offerings of selfieccinos, milkshakes with customisable prints and their range of collectibles from the Marvel and DC universe.

We begin our fantastical adventure with a KitKat shake (Rs 262) in paper glasses, which we gulp down in a shot at the two tiny tables pushed to the left of the store. A small section of the space is dedicated to candies. A few racks are reserved for unisex merchandise including printed t-shirts, mugs and slippers; and the rest of the store is a package of happiness for a popular culture enthusiast with superhero figurines, masks, comic books and themed board games. And yet, what we're most keen on trying are their selfieccinos. Founder Aditya Anand, 42, and co-founder Delvin Lobo, 35, get to work immediately.

Selfieccinos. Pics/Devanshi Doshi

We send them a picture we'd like to get printed on our cappuccino elegante (Rs 179), and within a few minutes, they present us with our coffee. On requesting for closer look, we get the full tour for the behind-the-scenes action, where their printing machine is placed. Connected to their laptop, they upload the image using a software called Cupshow. Once the cup is placed on the surface of the printing machine, it takes about 40 seconds for the print to be readied.

"You can get any picture printed on any edible item on the menu, as long as it has a flat surface," Lobo explains, as he hands us the coffee mug, which we carefully take back to our table for our Instagram shot. "Currently, we do this only for milkshakes, thick shakes and coffee. Soon, we will introduce the same for chocolate bars and cookies as well."

The store

"People can enjoy the world of comics, superheroes and creativity and art, with unique prints on their snacks created using food colouring that is certified safe," Anand adds. The coffee is not extraordinary, but the idea of having your favourite superhero or even artwork on your beverage is exciting, and a definite mood-lifter. So, when we spot a favourite figurine in the store - a character from the Netflix series Squid Game, we check with them if it can be printed on our next round. After a quick photograph of the same, and barely a minute later, we have our coffee in our hand. It is brighter and clearer than the previous one. Soon, we realise that tightly-shot and vibrant pictures may have the possibility of printing better.

Aditya Anand, retail head Surbhe Paurush and Delvin Lobo

"We've made this figurine," Lobo points at the Squid game character beside our coffee, explaining that 3D printing is their main service, while the merch, coffee and comic books are a result of their shared love for popular culture. "As kids, figurines like this were imported to India. The cost was naturally high, and it increased our dependence on other countries. Did you know there are nearly one crore comic book enthusiasts in Mumbai alone? If there is such a huge market in just one city in India, why depend on countries like China [where most imports come from] to meet our demand?" he expresses.

Anand continues, "We started this idea in July, 2022 as an R&D project to understand the usage of [3D printing] technology for commercial use, especially D2C [Direct to Consumer] as not many in the Indian market are using it commercially. The technology advancements help us drive the Make in India vision." Materials used include PLA (Polylactic Acid) resin and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), which is biodegradable. "We are also testing plant-based resins that we hope to launch next year," he adds.

Anand is clear about their vision, "We want to transcend boundaries to infuse the thrill and nostalgia of superheroes into reality. Here, enthusiasts can revel in their passion, uncover distinctive collectibles, and even have them brought to life through 3D printing. This is more than a space; it's where imagination meets a vibrant community."

Wonder By House of 3D
At: Shop no 1, Elcid Apartments, Dr Ambedkar Road, Pali Naka.
Call: 7021906282

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