Pokemon Center Retail Store to Open in London

A Pokemon Center pop up store will be opening in London later this year. The Pokemon Company announced it would open a pop up Pokemon Center retail storeat the Westfield London shopping center to celebrate the release of Pokemon Sword & Shield. Pokemon Centers are specialty retail stores that sell everything from Pokemon plushes to Pokemon apparel and everything in between. Although there are over a dozen Pokemon Centers in Japan, this is the first Pokemon Center to open in the United Kingdom. The new Pokemon Center will sell London-themed merchandise exclusive to the store that can't be found anywhere else.

The Pokemon Company likely chose London as the location of its next Pokemon Center as Pokemon Sword & Shield's Galar region was modelled after the United Kingdom. Several English cities, including London, have counterparts in the Galar region, and there are several Pokemon designed after "iconic" English animals like the corgi or sheep.

As with every Pokemon Center, London's store will have its very own Pokemon mascot. The London's store will have a very dapper looking Pikachu, complete with a bowler hat and a Psyduck umbrella. Although not announced, it's very likely that the store will sell plush versions of this English Pikachu along with other merchandise featuring the dressed up Pokemon.

The London Pokemon Center will be open from October 18th to November 15th, so fans will have less than a month to visit the Pokemon Center and pick out some exclusive Pokemon merchandise. US fans feeling a bit of FOMO can always check out the Pokemon Center online store, which contains plenty of exclusive merchandise and is only available to US fans.

(via Serebii)