Topic: Nintendo Plans Major Retail Store in NYC

[StrikerObi]

Mario’s setting up shop in Rockefeller Center.

According to a job posting on Nintendo’s corporate website, the company is planning to open a concept retail store in New York City’s Rockefeller Center. The retail outlet sounds like a cross between a store and an exhibition of current and future products, similar to Nintendo’s GameFront at the Panasonic Center in Tokyo.

The store is said to be a "state-of-the-art" facility designed to highlight new products and show visitors the ultimate in game-play experiences. It’s very likely that Nintendo will showcase upcoming titles and hardware in this store far before they are available to purchase and before other stores such at EB start displaying them.

This is a pretty surprising move for Nintendo. The company previously has only sold its products through other retailers, with the only exceptions being its private company store and a tiny handful of Pokemon Center locations across the globe (one of which is located in New York City). If this flagship store is a success, there is a possibility that Nintendo could expand its retail outlets, similar to what Apple Computer has been doing.

Update: After browsing around the Pokemon Center website, we stumbled across this interesting news. The Pokemon Center NY, located at 10 Rockefeller Plaza, has closed down for major renovations. According to an announcement on the Pokemon Center website, the store will cease to be a "Pokemon Center" and become a one stop shop for all the latest Nintendo products, opening in the spring of this year. So it looks like Nintendo is actually replacing their Pokemon Center with this new store.

[Plugabugz]

Place bets that this won't hit Europe/Australia for a long time, or if they do the shop will be closed for 364 days and 23 hours of a year?

[Bill Aurion]

Go figure that I'm going to NYC early next month and this will open right afterwards... ;_;

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Nintendo should just invest in a floating air-fortress-city that's just one big Nintendo store.  When they want to demo something, they just fly over some city.  It would also eliminate the need for an E3 booth, since it'll just float above the convention center.

It shall be called... Spaceworld.  HAHAHAAHAHBBBBBEQGWGWQA

[pyrokamileon]

haha that would be sweet, I'm drawing parallels between that idea and every flying thing that Bowser has ever created.  but I can't find out any way for them to use an enemy to advertise Nintendo products...  maybe Bowser and Wario worked together to still all of the Mushrooms Kingdoms merchandise and they're selling it for profit?  hmmm, sounds more like a Jesse and James kinda idea.  oh well I can dream, that would be sweet though.  but to be more realistic I was just going to say that they really need to build something like that in L.A.!!!  that would be much more feasible for me at least, I've never been to NYC and don't know when I will be...  maybe I'll find a way when Revolution comes out, I wish...  but seriously if there was something like that in LA I'd be there, with friends!

[PaLaDiN]

LA already gets E3. Show SF some love.

[KnowsNothing]

plugz: A store like this will never hit Oz, and the only thing I see coming to Europe is a smaller version for London or something.

I'm all for the floating city idea though.

[joshnickerson]

Shoot. I was hoping to visit the Pokemon Center store one day. Oh well, I guess this will be just as good.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiN
LA already gets E3. Show SF some love.

YES, something for the BAY AREA, PLEASE nintendo!

In fact, buy-out Treasure Island!

[xts3]

They should be focusing on making games not setting up stores.  They will need a lot of killer apps to sell the revolution:  No killer app software = no sale.

[Bill Aurion]

Because we all know that opening up a single store will take up all of Ninty's resources...Ninty has actually shipped all of their programmers and other staff to go help move stuff in!

[TheYoungerPlumber]

I'm pulling up the Airship music from SMB3 right now

[Robageejammin]

YES!!! Finally something in NY!!1! This is a dream come true. Even if it ends up as some shack that says the word "Nintendo" on it infested with pigeons and rats and rhinoceros, im still happy. Its in the city and it says Nintendo

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Someone had the brilliant suggestion that we ride Para Troopas in order to get to the floating city.

[Bill Aurion]

Infernal Monkey wins the internet, then

[Bartman3010]

Oh man. I still want Ash's cap. Please tell me they'll get more.

[Mario]

Quote
Originally posted by: xts3
They should be focusing on making games not setting up stores.  They will need a lot of killer apps to sell the revolution:  No killer app software = no sale.

Yes, because the developers over in Japan are the ones setting up this store, get back to work Shigeru!

[Kirby_PopStar]

Quote
Originally posted by: xts3
They should be focusing on making games not setting up stores.  They will need a lot of killer apps to sell the revolution:  No killer app software = no sale.

Nintendo has various different departments that do many different jobs. That's like saying Nintendo shouldn't have a magazine because it distracts them from making games.

This idea is one of the smartest things Nintendo has done for a LONG time. Genius... In a good spot to start too. I could see this being like the Apple Computer Stores which were in select places at first, but then began to pop up everywhere because it was such a hit. This gives consumers the chance to enter a Nintendo environment and see Nintendo things that maybe they normally wouldn't pay attention to; thus bringing Nintendo back into their lifestyle. Remarkable idea, really.  

[Gremio]

OMG... a Nintendo Store?

If this turns into the Apple Store thing it'll be a dream come true. Had a heck of a time finding any Apple Products in my city having to drive to some far off, private store located in the basement of a large building. But now.. not even a half hour drive got me my shiny new iPod and a plethora of other things I'd been meaning to get.

A similar situation is happening with Gamecube and Gameboy Advance products. Can't seem to find them anywhere. Yeah, sales are not so hot in the overall picture, but considering all that any store seems to have on the shelf are 1st party titles and a few recent releases (and it's been like that here for WELL over two years, even when Xbox and GCN hardware sales were closer in number to each other). It's about time Nintendo opens up a store displaying all their prodcuts. According to the GS in my area, Viewtiful Joe 2 isn't available  for the GCN and the Super Mario Advance games are ALL out of print.

[Deguello]

This store would be a good way to bring game demos to the people without having to deal with arse-y retailers like EB and Gamestop.

[BiLdItUp1]

Yey!!! It ain't an E3 equivalent, but at least I don't need to travel to Nintendo HQ in Seattle for cool goods, just have to take the Q to the B.  

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Today NYC, tommorow...the world Muahahahahahahahahaha

[Ian Sane]

"This store would be a good way to bring game demos to the people without having to deal with arse-y retailers like EB and Gamestop."

I assume you mean if this becomes a chain of sorts with multiple locations.  Otherwise it only provides demos to people in New York which doesn't really accomplish much.  And even if they branch into several locations EB and Gamestop are still going to be more widespread and thus able to get demos out to a larger group of people.

I think the best way to distribute demos is through Nintendo Power.  Nintendo has complete control over it and it's easily available to everyone.

As for the store itself well I don't like in New York so what do I care.  A Nintendo store is a cool idea but I wouldn't want Nintendo to seriously consider their own store as the ideal way to distribute goods.  If there was a chain realistically I would have to wait until it expanded into Canada, and then into BC (east always gets it before west), and then into the smaller cities since Vancouver would get it first for the province.  So if Nintendo decides to limit pre-order bonuses or demos or obscure items like component cables to their stores then myself and a lot of us are out of luck.  Having a novelty store in New York is kind of cool but widespread chains that are already in place is what Nintendo should focus on.

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Problem is stores have been attributing less and less shelf space to Nintendo, as a result Nintendo setting up their own chain is there to augment what is found in other chains...yes just having it in NY is limited, however there is nothing to indicate that if the NY store is successful Nintendo will not expand, likely they will expand to other major metro areas, LA, Chicago, D.C., and expect Japan, Europe, Australia, and Canada to eventually see versions of the store appear if things become very popular.  

[Pale]

Ian if this does become a chain I would expect Vancouver to be the first canadian city to get it cause its so dang close to NOA headquarters.  I would love it if it became a chain.  At least then we wouldn't get ripped off when we tried to buy video games.