Life truly did peak when watching Ash make his way from Pallet Town to the big leagues with a tough-to-tame-but-loveable Pikachu by his side. And now, a new Pokémon Center pop-up is aiming to bring that thrilling action off the screen and into the real world.
You can put yourself in Ash’s shoes for a limited time only, when the Pokémon Center pop-up opens (today) and runs April 4-7. Dropping down at The ExCeL London centre, the area is set to become a hub for those dressed as trainers and Pokémon alike (or those coming with a blank canvas to sort their outfit of Pokémon merch there!).
When will the Pokémon Center be open
The pop-up will run from Thursday, April 4 – Sunday, April 7. The store will be open from 10am-8pm (4pm closure on Sunday). That’s plenty of time for fans to see all the familiar and (sometimes) cute faces of Charmander, Jigglypuff, Pidgey, and more!
How to visit
Now, unfortunately, you can’t just rock up to the Pokémon Center without a little bit of planning. There’s no need to buy tickets, fortunately, but those hoping to visit ExCel London for the pop-up will be required to reserve a timeslot to manage crowding.
What’s available at the Pokémon Center pop-up
There will be plenty of merchandise ready for the occasion, with past events including a vastly popular bowler hat-donning Pikachu. In the interest of fairness, The Pokémon Company has also warned that there may be a limit to the amount of purchases customers can make due to the sheer demand and hope to allow as many people as possible to enjoy the gifts.
It’s worth noting that the event does not accept cash (nor Pokémon-based trades like in the videogames). Purchases will only be available through the usage of card payments.
Previous Pokémon events in the city have attracted huge crowds, and we’re anticipating huge crowds once again this weekend!
Excited? Me too Mewtwo.
The pop-up Pokémon Center lands at ExCel London between April 4-7. Find it at Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, E16 1XL. The nearest stations are Custom House and Prince Regent DLR Station.
Book your slot and find out more here.