For years, visiting a Pokemon Center has been a bucket-list stop for anime and game fans traveling to Japan. Now, a little of that experience is heading west. The Pokemon Company International has announced a permanent Pokemon store in London, which it calls the brand's first physical retail space outside of Asia.
The store is scheduled to open by 2029, and the company says it will feature exclusive merchandise and one-of-a-kind experiences for fans of all ages.
The Official Announcement
The news was shared yesterday by Pokemon UK. Gaku Susai, Chief Product and Experience Officer at The Pokemon Company International, said the London store will "give visitors the chance to step into the world of Pokemon, whether they're discovering the brand for the first time or have been Trainers for years."
He added, "We hope it becomes a place where everyone can come together, feel like part of a community and enjoy the magic of Pokemon in a whole new way."
London will also be "the first of several permanent Pokemon stores that are planned to launch outside of Asia," though no other cities have been confirmed and the exact London location hasn't been revealed.
What Makes Japan's Pokemon Centers Special
Anyone who has been to a Pokemon Center in Japan knows they're more than gift shops. The first one opened in Tokyo in 1998, and today the chain has locations across the country, including the massive Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo in Ikebukuro's Sunshine City.
The biggest draw is the merchandise. Japanese Pokemon Centers are known for seasonal plush lines, store-exclusive designs and themed collections that often never get an official release overseas. Each store has its own personality too, with some locations built around a mascot Pokemon or local theme.
Fans also flock to the Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo, where themed dishes and appearances from Pikachu have made reservations famously hard to get. Whether London gets anything like that is unknown, but the promise of experiences rather than shelves alone suggests The Pokemon Company has bigger ideas than a simple shop.
Asia Has Had Them For Years
Outside Japan, Pokemon fans in Asia already have permanent stores. Pokemon Center Singapore opened at Jewel Changi Airport in 2019, giving travelers a taste of the Japanese experience. Fans in Europe and North America, meanwhile, have mostly relied on online shopping, licensed retailers and pop-up events.
The West did have one before. A Pokemon Center opened in New York's Rockefeller Plaza in 2001, before becoming the Nintendo World Store in 2005. That store has since become Nintendo New York, so the company's "first outside of Asia" claim seems to refer to its current retail plans.
What Fans Are Hoping For
The obvious wish is London-exclusive merchandise, much like the city-themed items Japanese stores are known for. Plenty of fans would also love to see the anime celebrated in the space, with displays, screenings or events tied to the latest series.
Trading Card Game players will be hoping for a place to play, and collectors will want early access to new releases. Until The Pokemon Company shares more, all of this is wishful thinking, but the 2029 timeline gives the company plenty of room to build something special.
A Big Moment For Western Fans
The London store won't replace the magic of visiting Japan, but it could bring a piece of it closer to home for millions of fans. With more permanent stores planned outside Asia, this might only be the start of Pokemon's push into physical retail around the world.
What would you most want to see in the London Pokemon store, exclusive plush, a cafe, or something tied to the anime?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.