GILBERT, AZ — Slimeatory not only lets you take home unique slime, but you can also create your own! ABC15 caught up with the Arizona YouTuber and slime maker, Ameerah Navalua, who made the slime-centered business in the East Valley.
“I intended it to be a place where you can let all your creativity flow and just go absolutely crazy, whether it's just with slime or any craft, really, because I have a ton of supplies, and its glue and glitters and colorings and sprinkles; basically, everything for crafts, even scents,” said Navalua to ABC15 in an interview.
The store sells apparel, accessories, and toys, but needless to say… slime is the main star.
The store has an area called ‘DIY TO-GO’ where guests pick up the supplies, add-ons and mix-ins to create their slime at home or shop from their slime collections that vary from aromas and textures. Guests also have the opportunity to develop their slime on-site at the ‘DIY Slime Bar’ located at the back of the store.
“There's so many people who always think ‘slime is for like, little kids’ […] but it is literally for everybody,” said Navalua. “There was even an instance where I was helping teach a slime class here, and I believe there were like two 80-year-old women who were best friends, just having the time of their lives, making slime, and it was the most beautiful thing ever. So that's actually something that I'd like to bring awareness on, is that it's for pretty much any age group […] if you're young if you're [an] older person; it’s also really good for people with sensory issues because it calms them down, it's really nice texture.”
DIY SLIME BAR
Creating your slime at this ‘bar’ includes choosing its texture, scent and color, adding five toppings, and creating a custom label for your slime jar.
“After that, we have four tables over there that you can just go sit down and play with your slime and do what the slime community calls ASMR, which is just like very relaxing, fun things,” said Navalua. Prices for this activity can be found here.
WHERE TO GO
- Address: 2270 E Williams Field Rd #106 in Gilbert.
- Slimeatory does have plans to expand; the next location is set for Los Angeles, California.
EMPOWERING CREATIVITY
Ameerah Navalua became a content creator on YouTube at the age of 12. Navalua tells ABC15 that although she’s always liked to perform, she somehow got into slime.
“I was one of those kids who would go in the bathroom and take all my mom's stuff and put it in the sink and make a mess with it,” said Navalua who eventually created her own slime. “ I think my first [one] was Galaxy Slime. It was so beautiful and then I decided to do like a little YouTube video on it and people seemed to like it [;] I really enjoyed doing the video on it, so I kept doing them.
Navalua now has more than 4.9 million followers on YouTube and one of her most popular videos has to date 18 million views- which of course is about slime.
For the Valley YouTuber, slime goes beyond creating content. And, having a store serves as an outlet for empowering creativity.
“We have the store now, and I think my favorite part is the fact that people can come in here now [and] do their experiments. They can also let their creativity flow as well,” said Navalua.
