Pokémon Center

The Pokémon Center is a chain of specialty stores selling only Pokémon related merchendise. Pokémon Centers are predominantly located in Japan, the first having opened in Tokyo in 1998. Stores have also opened in Singapore and the United States.

For the facilities in the Pokémon anime and games, see Gameplay of Pokémon.
Pokémon Center in Sendai

Theming and stocks

Within the Pokémon universe, "Pokémon Centers" are locations where characters can heal, manage, and trade their Pokémon.[1] Real Pokémon Centers, named after the fictional counterparts, may be stocked with shelves of action figures, plushies, cereal boxes, hats, backpacks, and badges.[2]

Locations

Pokémon Centers are located in malls and commercial areas in the United States, Singapore and Japan.

Japan

The Pokémon Company opened the first Pokémon Center store in Tokyo in April 1998. This original Pokémon Center eventually closed and reopened in a different location.[1] Pokémon Center Osaka, one of the franchise' bigger locations at 830 square meters, was the country's seventh Pokémon Centers and opened in 2010.[3]

Only four Pokémon Centers remained open in Japan at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the location in Okayama closed permanently.[4] There are over 20 Pokémon Center locations in Japan as of 2023.[5]

Singapore
Pokémon Center Singapore

On April 17, 2019, Pokémon Center Singapore opened at Jewel Changi Airport.[6]

United States
Main article: Nintendo New York

On November 16th, 2001 Nintendo opened a store called the Pokémon Center in Rockefeller Center, New York City. The Pokémon Center was closed and replaced by the Nintendo World Store in 2005.[7] This store was renovated and rebranded to "Nintendo NY" in 2016.[8][9]

Online store

Nintendo launched an online "Pokémon Center" store in 2014.[1]

References
  1. Sarkar, Samit (2014-07-02). "Pokémon Center online store opening Aug. 6 in US, soft launch today". Polygon.
  2. Phillips, Tom (2014-09-17). "A look inside Tokyo's Pokémon Center". Eurogamer.
  3. Loo, Egan (2010-10-23). "Japan's Largest Pokémon Shop to Open in Osaka". Anime News Network.
  4. Imada, Kaila (2021-08-27). "Pokémon Centers and Stores in Japan are closing indefinitely due to Covid-19". TimeOut.
  5. "OFFICIALSHOP LIST English｜ポケットモンスターオフィシャルサイト". Pokémon. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  6. Seet, Charlotte (2023-08-31). "5 Fun Facts You Didn't Know About Singapore Changi Airport's Wondrous 'Jewel' Complex". Simple Flying. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  7. Sarrazin, Marc-André (April 21, 2005). "Nintendo World Store Opening Party — Nintendo Spin". NintendoSpin.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  8. Naudus, Kris (2016-02-19). "Nintendo's flagship store reopens with a new name and new look". Engadget.
  9. Passalacqua, Micheal (2016-01-07). "Nintendo World Store Getting Big Renovation". IGN.
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