Minnesotans flock to Como Zoo for their last chance to buy nostalgic animal figurines
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Cory Funk walked into St. Paul’s Como Zoo and Conservatory on Sunday morning with only one mission: securing a full collection of plastic animal figures from the zoo’s four Mold-A-Rama machines.
He recruited his 16-year-old son, along with his wife, to help him.
An hour after the zoo opened, the family had all the figurines: a red sea lion, black gorilla, yellow lion and a blue polar bear.
“That burnt plastic,” said Funk with a smile. “I remember that smell very, very vividly — the hot, hot plastic. It's not good for you, but I remember it, and I like it.”
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The Mold-A-Rama machines were first brought to the zoo in the ‘60s and have been a longtime fixture. They disappeared for some time and made a comeback nearly 20 years ago.
But Minnesotans only have another week before the Mold-A-Rama machines leave the zoo for good. Last week, the zoo announced the machines would be removed during the week of Nov. 3.
The company that owns the machines is relocating them to a region with a longer peak season and higher year-round attendance.
“We’re going to miss the Mold-A-Rama. They've been molding memories and tiny little lions for generations, but a little less plastic isn’t such a bad thing, right?” said Matt Reinartz, Como Zoo spokesperson.
The machines bring a sense of nostalgia for many Minnesotans. Funk says he used to collect them as a kid.
“We came to Como when I was a kid. We came when we were young parents. And it’s those memories. It’s like the plastic — it’s warm and fuzzy,” he said.
While he was waiting in line for the Mold-A-Rama machines, he exchanged memories with others who love the toys. He called it a “very Minnesotan bonding experience.”
Jordayn Herman and her 11-year-old son, Johnny, had the same mission as Funk on Sunday. At around 11:15 a.m., the pair made their last stop at the Large Cats building to get the lion figure.
“I came here with my grandparents when I was a kid, and my grandpa would always let me pick out one of the molds, and I’m really sad that it’s leaving,” she said.
While she was making her rounds at the machines, Herman says she saw mostly adults waiting in line.
“I was laughing because you can tell, like, it’s all adults waiting in line for him, because we’re the ones that had them growing up. And we’re all, like, trying to get our kids excited,” she said.
Before the Mold-A-Ramas leave for good, Herman is planning to stop by one last time.
“Just for a backup set, just in case,” she said, chuckling.
She hopes the zoo replaces Mold-A-Rama with something similar. In the meantime, she might get into collecting the souvenir pennies.
Correction (Oct. 27, 2025): An earlier version of this story misspelled Cory Funk’s last name. The story has been corrected.
