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Though the Pokémon epidemic of the late 1990’s was beginning to dwindle, executives of Pokémon USA felt that there was still a viable market for toys and other merchandise under the Pokemon franchise, as Pokémon was still releasing films, TV episodes, games, and trading cards. The Warner Brother’s and Disney Store located in New York City were seeing lower sales, but brokers felt that a Pokémon store could bring back the trend of entertainment merchandise. Disney survived the decline in sales, but Warner Brother’s were not as lucky– Warner’s Brother’s Flagship store located in Time Square was closed.
”Warner Brother’s and Disney were about things, T-Shirts, and teddy bears. Pokémon is more about entertainment. It is a fantasy store that is almost like going to the movies.” says Faith Consolo, vice chairwoman of Gatrick-Aug Associates, a broker specializing in retail space. Executive Vice President of broker company Lansco Corporation Alan Victor felt the same— “Warner Brothers got tired and worn. They didn’t make the movies to back up the store. There was no reason for people to go back to the stores. Disney stores are having a similar problem. If [The Pokémon Store] can keep their merchandise fresh, they could do very well.”
The former location of a popular brewery was picked to open the new Pokémon store to be known as The Pokémon Center New York. This was the third location in the world of its kind to open, the other locations operating in Japan. Estimated opening was late 2001.
Rockefeller Plaza is a very well-known landmark visited by thousands of tourists a month, with NBC’s Today show in the same building, Radio City Music Hall and a magnificent Christmas Tree during the holiday season. Because of it’s landmark status, the store’s design was to be under a set of rules set by the Landmark’s Preservation Commission and the property manager. The design looked backed at the 1937 designs, which were considered an art-deco masterpiece. Phillips Group architects were hired to do the renovations to the store space, and wanted to create the store as art-deco inspired. There were to be no exterior signs– luckily, the glass walls created a way to advertise the store from the interior. The doors were brass, keeping with Rockefeller traditions.
“We have had to blend a 21st-century store into a 1937 building,” says Alec Zaballero, an associate of the architect group.
Bottom Floor plan; credit to TPG Architects. Download the full PDF here.
Thanks to a former employee for the never-before-seen conceptual drawings of the Pokémon Center–
“Pokémon says “I Choose You!” To Rockefeller Center for First U.S. Store Dedicated To the Growing Worldwide Phenomenon. “Pokémon-hattan” Fantasyland Features Entertaining, Interactive experiences as well as New, Exclusive Merchandise”
Even after the slowing of the economy and travel from the September 11th attacks two months prior, the Grand Opening of the store took place on Friday, November 16, 2001 to kick off the holiday season. The opening festivities lasted a week, including tournaments, drawings for exclusive merchandise, and a first look at the new Pokémon Mini device, a compact, handheld, cartridge-based game system that works with a variety of Pokémon games. Those who brought a postcard invitation promoting the opening week got a Pokémon card or book exclusive to the event. Pikachu and a Nintendo Pikabug also were present during the event. The opening week also marked the launch of the Pokémon Center’s website, for those who were interested in the merchandise, but could not travel to New York City. Within the first month, the store was surpassing sales projections 7% to 10%, according to the general manager David Hillenbrand. Unfortunately, there are little images and zero known videos of the event, due to the Center’s strict no photography rule.
Here is the original Press Release from the Pokemon Website–
Grand Opening Friday, November 16
New York, November 1, 2001 – – New Yorkers, out-of-towners and worldwide travelers in the Big Apple will soon enjoy a new, multi-sensory, magical retail experience — the Pokémon Center — in one of New York’s major attractions, Rockefeller Center.
Located at 10 Rockefeller Plaza on 48th Street, Pokémon Center features a vast array of sound and lights shows and life size, robotic Pokémon characters in 10,000 square feet of retail and interactive floor space (13,000 sq. ft. total). Multiple gaming environments enable players to try new Pokémon games — free of charge — and swap Pokémon characters available for Game Boys only at the Center. Other one-of-a-kind features include a fog and light-gushing PoKéBaLL and the Ultra Pokédex, a giant-sized screen and a control pad that enables users to obtain information about all 251 Pokémon.
The new entertainment and merchandise center will feature interactive Pokémon animatronic characters, multiple gaming environments and extensive Pokémon resources satisfying both serious Poké-aficionados as well as newcomers to the gaming sensation.
Within this one-of-a-kind retail wonderland, 40 percent of the store merchandise will consist of products available exclusively at the Pokémon Center. Among the exciting new exclusive products is the Pokémon Mini, a compact, handled, cartridge-based game system that works with a variety of Pokémon games. New Pokémon-branded products such as videos, cards, New York art deco motif items and other unique products will be available at the store before many other retail outlets.
The Grand Opening, scheduled for Friday, November 16 will kick-off the 2001 holiday shopping season with tournaments, drawings for limited edition Pokémon products and contest that will appeal to the whole family.
Melding A Futuristic Fantasy World With Art Deco Design
“The 13,000 square-foot destination encompasses two levels on the corner of Rockefeller Center and 48th Street,” explains David Hillenbrand, general manager for Pokémon USA, Inc., “It will be the only physical space in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to ongoing enjoyment of the world of Pokémon, providing an experience for adults and children of all ages.”
The Phillips Group, which specializes in interior architecture, designed and developed the wondrous destination. According to Alec Zaballero, design director, “Pokémon Center is a place with its own character and landscape. When every child and adult walks through the door, they will recognize Pokémon Center as a piece of the Pokémon universe transported to Mid-Manhattan. It is the concrete realization of the Pokémon brand.”
The Growing Worldwide Pokémon Universe
There are currently more than 800 licensees for Pokémon products, excluding Asia, producing thousands of individual licensed products. Pokémon video games dominate the charts with more than 85 million sold to date worldwide, including more than 33 million video games sold to date in the U.S. Pokémon now broadcast in over 65 countries in 30 different languages, and kids’ WB in the U.S. is entering its fourth season with Pokémon as the #1 broadcast children’s program.
What is Pokémon All About?
Pokémon is a fantasy universe of characters that possess a diverse array of strengths, weakness and special powers — some who can even morph to become others. Today, this ever-changing gaming universe is home to 251 Pokémon, including the best known Pikachu as well as friends and foes Ash, Misty, Charizard, Totodile, Mewtwo, Scizor, Meowth, Blastoise and others. The goal as a player, in the multi-level video games and trading cards, is to catch ´em all, collect every type of Pokémon and become the world’s greatest Pokémon trainer.
Pokémon USA, Inc., a New York-based subsidiary of The Pokemon franchise and the upcoming Pokemon Center, a multi-sensory entertainment destination, in New York’s Rockefeller Center. The Pokemon creators, along with Nintendo, first launched Pokémon for the world’s best-selling Game Boy video game system in Japan in 1996 and watched the original 150 creatures evolve into a global cultural phenomenon. The franchise arrived in North America in September 1998 and has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide.”
Exterior
The exterior of the building is prominently glass. As the Rockefeller regulations stated, there were to be no outdoor-mounted signage, thus, the first floor ceiling exterior was lined with back-lit Pokémon, with the Pokémon Center logo located atop both double-door entrances. The doors are both made of brass, with Pokéball door handles, which are still intact today. The first-floor window sill displayed a rotation of Pokémon goods, including products and statues. The animatronics could also be seen on the South-West side of the store. This was to grab the attention of passers, especially those with kids.
Interior (First floor)
“You’ve finally made it inside–check out all the incredible Pokémon merchandise! 40 percent of the latest Pokémon products offered will be available exclusively through the store. New releases of Pokémon-related merchandise, such as videos, cards and many other products will be available at the store before any other retail outlet.”
When entering, the guests will notice the giant Pokeball above their head, as well as the Pokeball emblem on the ground. The first floor featured life-sized Pokemon animatronics that moved on a conveyor belt, including Pichu, Charizard, Scizor and more.
“The Pokémon Center features a large number of Pokémon modeled in “life size” as they are in Pokémon World. From foot-tall Pichu, to six foot Charizard, all Pokémon will be guided by computer-controlled motions systems to dynamically simulate their actual movement in the games, cartoons and videos.”
The Ultra Pokédex, a database of all the Pokémon known with their stats and clips of them in action via touch screen, sat to the right of the store.
“A giant interactive database, the Ultra Pokédex, is the ultimate knowledge base of Pokémon world. The Ultra Pokédex features extensive stats, models and video image clips of all 251 Pokémon characters. Information on store merchandise, availability and trading cards is available as well.”
The ceiling featured a large mobile life-sized Pokémon spun around above guests. The rest of the floor consisted of merchandise for purchase, 40 percent of it being exclusive to the Pokémon Center. The checkout counter sat in the back.
“Watch out! Hanging from the ceiling of the first floor, 10 “life size” Pokémon characters gracefully fly, swim or float and rotate along a moving platform. Look and you will see Pidgey, Hoppip, Horsea, Kakuna, Qwilfish, Magnemite, Zubat, Ledyba, Spinarak or Koffing.” On each level, synchronized sound and light shows will dramatically unfold with “life-sized” Pokémon characters enveloping the store. These ever-changing choreographed Pokémon interludes run on show control projection systems originally developed for use in complex Broadway musical productions.”
Below is a video of the mobile and lights in action thanks to colorkinetics (Note: there is no sound)
Interior (Second floor)
The upper floor had quite the variety of interactive displays. Upon entering the top, guests see another large computer-controlled Pokéball suspended from the ceiling that will spin and split open, emitting lasers and smoke to sound, a new technology by Philip Color Kinetics company:
“On the hour, the PokéBall signals transformation into a new dimension of the Pokémon world. The Animatronic PokéBall is a slowly rotating 3-foot diameter PokéBall suspended within a dome and lit with a changing color display at the store entrance. At showtime, the lights dim, the sounds builds, the PokéBall starts to spin and spit colors from its dome. The PokéBall splits open, gushes fog, and then it rests.”
One interactive display was the Gotta Catch ‘Em All Machine, where a guest’s Gold/Silver/Crystal game was placed into a slot in one of the four stations and the machine gives you a rare Pokémon, usually in an egg. There was theme during each distribution. The themes and their duration were determined by Nintendo, who sent someone to reprogram the machine when needed. Nintendo also programmed the machine to give out one Pokémon per cartridge per week:
“The Pokémon Distributing Machine will distribute, for gamers’ Game Boy cartridges, special Pokémon available only at Pokémon Center. The four Distributing Stations each have a display and a docking port for Game Boy cartridges. Customized software scripts easily guide the Trainers through the process.”
Lastly, gaming consoles featuring the Pokémon games could be played in-store via Gameboy and Gamecube in an area known as the Pokémon Trainer Gym:
“What would a Pokémon destination be without a gym? The Pokémon Trainer Gym is a dedicated gaming area where kids can try out the latest Pokémon games on both the Game Cube and N64 platforms. In the Pokémon world, the characters go to their trainer gyms to compete against other Pokémon trainers. Here in the real world, kids and their friends can go to the Pokémon Trainer Gym to sharpen their gaming skills.”
Other non-interactive displays included glass cases featuring cards from the Trading Card Game (the Center’s no photography rule was established in fear the camera flash would damage these displayed cards). TCG tournaments would also take place on this floor. Next to the TCG display were two walls of Pokémon plush, some of which are also shown in the window displays on both floors.
“We hope you enjoyed your tour of Pokémon Center NYC. Come back soon, as we are always adding new products and exciting new promotions. If you want to be notified of exciting Pokémon promotions and special offers, please register on PokémonCenter.com”.
The Pokémon Center New York attracted thousands of tourist for the four years it was open. Pokémon was declining in popularity by the mid-2000s, and Nintendo wanted to keep gaming characters in the interest of children. In 2004, it was announced that the Pokémon Center NY store would be closed for renovations, then to later announce that it would no longer be a Pokémon location, but a Nintendo Flagship store known as Nintendo World. The Pokémon Center New York closed its doors for the last time on January 19th, 2005.
”The decision to change the store stemmed from Pokémon and Nintendo efforts to continually evolve and nurture interest in video games and gaming platforms/systems, including Pokémon games and trading cards,” says Suzanna Scallon, director of trade shows for Nintendo of America, the Japanese company’s U.S. subsidiary.
This released statement was a seemly innocent and legitimate reason to convert into Nintendo World. However, the real reason for the closure of the Pokémon Center in New York was far from innocent. Former employees of the store claim that Nintendo was unhappy with the way that The Pokémon USA was running the store. There were issues of employees stealing merchandise, as well as overall non-professional behavior. There were supposed to be more future Pokémon Centers across the nation, but they never came to be. The New York store seems to have been a “test-run,” which eventually closed after only four years of operation. The headquartered New York Pokémon Company location was shut down, and Nintendo took over the store.
Opening in May of 2005, it would feature merchandise and game displays of all of the characters from Nintendo’s brand, like Mario and other Super Nintendo characters, Legend of Zelda, Kirby, etc. The store would also house a mini Nintendo Museum on the second floor. The store would still feature a large selection of Pokémon, but would no longer be the sole concentration of the store. The Phillips Group, who planned the original PCNY, directed the conversion. The new store won “Store of the Year” under specialty stores in the 35th annual Institute of Store Planners/VM+SD International Store Design Competition in 2005.
All the Pokémon Center decor/displays were removed, including the Pokémon animatronics/mobile, the laser Pokéball, The Ultra Pokédex, the “Gotta Catch ‘Em All!” machine, and the TCG display. It is unknown where the removed items are today, but it is to be thought they are either in storage or have been destroyed. The Pokémon Center website continued to operate until 2008, where it closed until 2014. It was then relaunched as an online merchandise store, exclusively for the United States. The online store is still fully-operational.
Today, the store remains in Rockefeller Plaza as Nintendo New York, a new named coined in 2016, attracting thousands of gamers and tourists every day. The “Pokémon Center NYC” now takes up a small portion of the upper-level of the store, while the mini Nintendo museum, though way downsized since Nintendo World, sits adjacent.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit this historic Pokémon building, don’t forget to reminisce of the merchandise that once sat in here, along with the hundreds of events that took place over the 16-year-span.
Plan your visit today! Visit Nintendo New York’s official website and The Official Guide to New York City to get started!
