Pikachu is putting on a bowler hat and heading off to foggy ol’ London for autumn. No, really — Pikachu is wearing a hat in the artwork for the upcoming pop-up Pokémon Center store in London, and it’s adorable. Pokémon Centers are the official merchandise destinations for the pocket-monster brand. Only a few permanent stores exist in the world, though. But The Pokémon Company wants to give the people of the U.K. a chance to spend money celebrate the upcoming Pokémon games that take most of their inspiration from the region.
The Pokémon Center (or Pokémon Centre, I guess) opens October 18 in the Westfield Shepherd’s Bush shopping mall, which sounds like a very British place. The pop-up store will continue operations through normal store hours until November 15.
Above: Pikachu should probably be y’all’s prime minister.
After November 15, Pikachu will have his visa revoked and he will be deported in compliance with Brexit, probably. I don’t know for sure, but that sounds right.
But what can I buy at London’s Pokémon Center?
The Pokémon Company hasn’t listed any specific items that it’s planning to sell at this pop-up Pokémon Center yet, but it did confirm it will have exclusive products. The company will likely focus its merchandise around Pokémon Sword and Shield, which launches November 15.
Sword and Shield takes place in what is clearly a fictionalized United Kingdom. This even includes a new sheep-style Pokémon named Wooloo who is a cute, round ball of fluff. And if I know one thing about the people of the U.K., they love sheep.
So expect a lot of plushies, apparel, and more, and be sure to pick me up a bowler-hat Pikachu when you go.
