For 20 years, Nintendo has operated just one first-party retailer in the US, but now the Nintendo Store in New York City is about be joined by a second location in San Francisco this May.
Nintendo San Francisco will celebrate its grand opening on May 15 in Union Square at 331 Powell Street. Nintendo announced plans for this location last year, but it's only now that we're getting an official opening date. In a press release, Nintendo says that store will offer "game systems and games" alongside "a unique shopping experience filled with Nintendo’s characters, worlds and exclusive products including accessories, apparel, home goods and souvenirs available only at this location."
The NYC location offers a few museum displays, and it was notably where the iconic Gulf War Game Boy was displayed for many years. The NYC store is primarily a retail location, of course, offering unique merch, but it's become something of a mecca for Nintendo fans over the decades. You may recall the viral clips of people at Nintendo NYC gathering to scream and cheer for new Super Smash Bros. reveals, for example.
It's probably safe to expect a similar experience from the San Francisco location, and if you want to see it yourself, the company's running a sweepstakes for a three-night vacation in the city around the store's opening. You can head to the official site for details on that.
Nintendo NYC actually opened back in 2001 as The Pokemon Center, but was rebranded as a broader Nintendo-themed location – then called Nintendo World – in 2005. It was the only Nintendo Store in the world until 2019, when one opened in Tokyo. Two more Nintendo Stores quickly sprouted in Japan – Osaka in 2022 and Kyoto in 2023 – but it's only now that the chain is expanding in the US.
Of course, a new place to buy Nintendo stuff takes on a little extra meaning this year as we're all looking toward the launch of Switch 2. I'm not sure either Nintendo Store will be the best place to pick up a Switch 2, but I am sure you can count on a pretty unique experience at both locations when the console's finally released.
A new Nintendo Switch 2 filing suggests there are going to be plenty more Amiibo to collect.
