Bandai Namco, the Japanese entertainment giant behind Pac-Man and Gundam, is opening its first U.S. store in Sunset Park this weekend.
The new store in Industry City offers a wide selection of merchandise, including toys, collectibles, apparel and video games from the Japanese brand’s extensive portfolio of popular franchises, such as Tekken, Dragon Ball and Tamagotchi.
“This is the only place in the country where you can see all Bandai Namco’s official shops in one place,” Shaunda Brooks-Green, marketing specialist for Bandai Namco, told Brooklyn Paper during a press preview of the store, which is opening to the public on Feb. 28.
“This is the first one in the U.S., so we’re really excited about that. It took some site visits and trying to figure out what fits our demographic, number one, and just keeping it to its Japanese origins, so obviously having it here at Industry City and Japan Village is important to our brand,” Brooks-Green said.
While the company has previously sold merchandise online and through partnerships with other retailers, the Industry City location is its first standalone U.S. outpost, dubbed a department store for Bandai Namco products.
The location inside Industry Cit’s Japan Village aims to provide customers with an immersive retail experience. It has dedicated areas for different franchises and interactive displays, including an arcade.
Brooks-Green emphasized that the store’s primary goal is to foster a sense of community amongst New York fans.
“New York is the area for culture, especially the intersection of multiple cultures. I think because of that, New York was the perfect place and, more specifically, Brooklyn. The borough has so many different culminations of cultures and flavors, especially this neighborhood in Sunset Park,” she said. “This is a safe space where people can come, shop, and just enjoy being in a space where they can be themselves.”
Bandai Namco was formed in 2005 through the merger of Bandai, known for its toys and character merchandise, and Namco, which was a prominent video game developer and arcade operator. The opening of the Brooklyn location reflects Bandai Namco’s strategy to strengthen its global presence, having previously opened its first location outside of Japan in London, England.
