Want to Play Pokémon with Somebody? Convenience Stores as a New Option

1. A Taiwanese Convenience Store That Brings Pokémon Fans Together

The walls are decorated from top to bottom, and a gigantic Eternatus is illustrated on the ceiling! Amazingly, this is actually the interior of a convenience store in New Taipei City, Taiwan.

This location’s eat-in space is one of the largest among all 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan, and has been transformed into a special hub where Pokémon fans gather. How did all this come to be?

While the launch of Pokémon GO in 2016 triggered an explosion in global popularity, a significant gap remained between initiatives in Japan and Taiwan. Although Pokémon is already familiar to those in the region, Taiwan lacks the Pokémon Centers and Pokémon Stores found in Japan, which number around 30. 

The Taiwan team of the Asia Business Division made an offer to 7-Eleven with the idea of using a project to increase familiarity and provide opportunities to engage with the diverse Pokémon content. 

2. Dedicated to Including Pokémon in Every Part of the Design

7-Eleven in Taiwan operates approximately 6,000 stores, holding the top spot in the convenience store industry. However, future stores will require quality over quantity.

A 7-Eleven staff member, noticing the level of excitement being generated locally by Pokémon, readily agreed to our offer, believing a collaboration would create new value. And so, the project to create a convenience store where Pokémon fans gather was set in motion.

7-Eleven closed the store for about a month and started preparations for a total transformation. Envisioning a space where many Pokémon fans would gather day and night, the team exchanged all sorts of opinions before finalizing the spatial design and interior.

Particularly eye-catching are the pictures of Pokémon spread across the entire wall of the store. We depicted as many Pokémon as possible with the hopes that both people who already familiar with Pokémon and those completely new to Pokémon are sure to find a character that they will love.

Also, to ensure that more people can enjoy their time here, we paid attention not just to the number of tables and chairs, but also to their design. Fans now use these themed tables and chairs to host Pokémon- TCG, video game tournaments, and other events.

3. An Accessible Place Where Everyone Can Encounter Pokémon

From opening day, the 7-Eleven bustled with large numbers of Pokémon fans. Their shared love of Pokémon brings them together and creates opportunities to make new friends and acquaintances.

Many people from many different walks of life visit convenience stores. By placing Pokémon at the center of that and providing a space for fun, we expand opportunities to fall in love with Pokémon.