Pokémon Is Opening Its First Permanent Store Outside Asia in London
The Pokémon Company International plans a permanent Pokémon store in London, due to open by 2029, which will be the brand's first permanent shop outside Asia.
London is getting a permanent Pokémon store. The Pokémon Company International announced on 21 October that the shop will be the first permanent physical retail space for the brand outside Asia, and it's currently scheduled to open by 2029.
There's no address or opening date yet. The company says the store will stock exclusive merchandise and offer what it calls one-of-a-kind experiences for Trainers of all ages. Gaku Susai, its Chief Product and Experience Officer, said the London store will give visitors "the chance to step into the world of Pokémon, whether they're discovering the brand for the first time or have been Trainers for years", and that he hopes it becomes a place where fans can feel like part of a community.
London is only the start. The Pokémon Company International says it's the first of several permanent Pokémon stores planned outside Asia, with more information to be shared later.
Until now, fans in the UK have relied on pop-ups. As Engadget points out, there was one at the Natural History Museum earlier this year, and others have run during the Pokémon European International Championships. The US had a permanent shop once: Pokémon Center New York opened in 2001, and four years later the space became Nintendo's flagship store.
The project already has people working on it. Hitmarker spotted that The Pokémon Company International is advertising a London-based Project Manager, Retail Operations job that refers to the new store.
It could be three years away, but London is first in line.
