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If you’re a fan of One Piece, Naruto or even Pac-Man, mark your calendars: the Japanese conglomerate that licenses those brands and many others is going to open its first-ever U.S. retail store at Industry City on February 28.
Bandai Namco’s Brooklyn debut is coming at the heels of the success of its store in Camden, London, which opened in August 2023. Like its other locations across Japan and the U.K., the new latest Namco will be an immersive retail experience that will include merch for sale, claw machine games, gashapon machines and much more.
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Fans will be able to buy exclusive merchandise from brands including Gashapon Bandai Official Shop, MegaHouse Official Store, One Piece Card Game Official Shop and many others. I’m personally most excited for the Tamagotchi Shop, which is definitely going to bring back plenty of childhood memories.
The sprawling new Brandai Namco space will feature plenty of smaller “shops” for the different brands and franchises and each will sell collectibles, card games, figures, and other items that you'd usually have to travel to Japan to get your hands on. “Our Brooklyn location will provide our Group with a wonderful opportunity to show our compelling range of products and services for consumers, fans and players alike,” said John McKenzie, President and CEO of Bandai Namco Amusement America.
The Bandai Namco store will be located at Industry City's Japan Village, which has quickly become the city's epicenter for Japanese culture, cuisine and retail. There, you'll find a Japanese grocery store, the affordable retail shop Daiso, the manga and figurine store Bookoff, a tea room and plenty of places to grab a bite. It's also a short walk away from Brooklyn Kura downstairs, a tasting room with the mission to spread the gospel of the rice-based Japanese spirit across New York City.
You'll be able to visit the Bandai Namco store starting February 28 at Japan Village, which is located on the second floor of 934 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn from 11am until 8pm daily.