Pop-up Stores for Pokémon Merchandise

The next issue (or just matter) of Pokémon merchandise concerns the places where one gets them - as in, shops or stores. Specifically, it concerns a bit of an unusual kind of them: pop-up shops or stores. These are a kind of stores that, by their name, appear for that purpose at certain times or during special events, and in relation to Pokémon merchandise would sell these for prospective fans. It sounds like a great thing... and in fact, it has already happened, becoming something neat to discuss for its implementation.

In essence, the shops that appear during local special events (PIJ, Pokémon Festival) may be considered pop-up shops for their purposes during the goings-on of the special events. But there have also been pop-up shops in certain locations in direct relation to the events though the events themselves are not actually going on; in this way, they really are "pop-ups" in that their appearances may be considered unexpected. Given the special events, the pop-up approach suits their progressions and makes for convenience.

Meanwhile, a number of international Pokémon tournaments - which includes the World Championships - have begun to adopt the same approach and instituted pop-up shops for their own selections of Pokémon merchandise. Those who are fortunate enough to attend the events as either competitors or spectators will surely enjoy being able to take away some Pokémon merchandise, not to mention the convenience, and it makes for another social venue as well at the event - more pluses beyond merchandise.

As for having more pop-up shops beyond the above scenarios, that may seem to be only viable in Japan - the homeland of Pokémon - where it is practically entrenched and doesn't really need events to show it off. Elsewhere, events are practically what is needed to get Pokémon things going, let alone the associated shops for buying merchandise; awareness is a factor in this regard, like for the Pokémon Go Road Trip in Europe or the MLB collaboration in the U.S., as events that are necessary to generate just that. 

Pop-up shops or stores (and other establishments) are still interesting concepts, especially when considering how they are implemented outside of Pokémon. Bringing that back into Pokémon, there may just be the greater interest in having a few more of these implemented beyond the ways that they are already implemented as above. That might require a lot of planning for the arrangements and the interests of the fans, but with at least some of the global popularity of Pokémon, the interest might just "pop up".

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