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Austin Manchester is a writer and editor living in New York City. At Polygon, he covers gaming and entertainment news, reviews new video games, interviews behind-the-scenes talent, and more. He enjoys discovering hidden gems and sharing them with Polygon's audience. Previously, he was the gaming editor for AIPT Comics and has written for other outlets like XDA, How-To Geek, and The List.
He enjoys soulslikes, character-driven RPGs, and third-person shooters plucked straight out of the Xbox 360 era. He also likes to flex his non-video game nerdy knowledge sometimes, whether that's explaining who's who in the new Wolverine game or recommending a comic book series about a sentient sword.
The first dedicated Pokémon store outside of Asia is coming
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For most Pokémon fans around the world, the best way to get Pokémon merchandise is online. The Pokémon Center online store has fun goodies like a Halloween collection and a line of merch made in collaboration with the European Space Agency. Pokémon fans in Japan have plenty of physical retail stores to shop at, and permanent physical Pokémon Centers also operate in Singapore and Taiwan, with one in Thailand set to open by the end of the year.
On Wednesday, The Pokémon Company revealed the location for the first permanent physical Pokémon store outside of Asia. By 2029, London will be home to a Pokémon store offering a range of merchandise and "one-of-a-kind experiences for Trainers of all ages," according to a news release.
"This new 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," The Pokémon Company International chief product and experience officer Gaku Susai said. "We hope it becomes a place where everyone can come together, feel like part of a community and enjoy the magic of Pokémon in a whole new way."
More Pokémon stores are on the way
The news release states the London location will be "the first of several permanent Pokémon stores that are planned to launch outside of Asia" and that more information will be shared in the future. Several countries have had pop-up stores in the past, and New York even had a permanent one in the early 2000s before it was converted to the general Nintendo Store after a few years. As someone who lives a short subway ride away from the Nintendo Store, you won't see me complaining if a Pokémon store becomes its neighbor sometime in the near future.
It's been a good year to be a Pokémon fan as the franchise has been celebrating its 30th birthday in 2026. Pokémon Pokopia launched earlier this year to rave reviews after fans got a blast of nostalgia when ports of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen arrived on Nintendo Switch. A bounty of merchandise has been released, like a mini Pokémon jukebox, a giant Snorlax rug, luggage with windows for your Pokémon plushies, Lego sets, Pokémon Polaroid cameras, Pokémon shoes, and more.