Here’s what’s on the cards at the new store ahead of opening.

Aqua TCG, the Pokémon and trading card games specialist, is set to unwrap its new store at The Crescent, a hub of new independents at Metrocentre.

placeholder image — Co-owners at Aqua TCG | Submitted

The store will open Friday 31 July, promising a wide range of cards, graded collectibles, sealed products and accessories.

Word of the new signing was announced earlier this month, quickly generating a buzz amongst the brand’s growing social media following and trading card game (TCG) community.

While it may be 30 years since Pokémon first became a household name with the release of Pocket Monsters Red and Green for Nintendo Game Boy, followed shortly after by its TCG with iconic “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” tagline and other spin-offs, the Japanese phenomenon is arguably more popular today than ever.

It has also given rise to a thriving collectibles market where a single card can change hands for everything from a few pounds to many thousands of pounds, depending on its age, condition and scarcity.

For Aqua TCG founders James Leather and Lewis Millen, lifelong friends and fans of Pokémon, the thrill is as much about the anticipation of opening a pack and hoping for a ‘hit’, for example, or the joy of securing a shiny special illustration rare, as it is about creative deckbuilding.

James said: “TCGs is a hobby that appeals to all ages: from young kids and teenagers to those of us old enough to have witnessed the arrival of Pokémon and subsequent growth of the sector as other major franchises followed suit with the likes of Yu-Gi-Oh! and, more recently, One Piece Card Game, Disney Lorcana and Riftbound.

“In the case of Pokémon alone there are currently over 1,000 different species and everyone has their own favourite, whether it’s more famous names such as Pikachu or Mewtwo or lesser-known characters such as Mr Mime. It’s a personal thing and that’s the magic of TCGs.”

The trading card shop opens as part of a new independents hub called The Crescent | Submitted

Until recently, the duo’s shared hobby had been exactly that – a hobby – with the pair travelling to card shows throughout the UK and beyond to meet fellow collectors and trade cards.

But such was the demand for TCGs that when the friends spotted retail space available at Metrocentre’s new hub for independent retailers, The Crescent, they decided it was a case of ‘right time, right place’ to take the next step.

Lewis said: “The decision to open a physical store was rooted both in the demand for TCGs and the difficulty of being able to buy, sell and trade them. We wanted to create an accessible place for enthusiasts and beginners alike to begin, add to or upgrade their collections, backed by product knowledge, fair pricing and friendly service.

“Not only that but we wanted to make it easier when looking for single cards specifically, which is why the new store will have one whole wall dedicated to these, stocking over 1,000 cards which will be regularly refreshed with each new trade done.“There will be low-end and high-end cards, Japanese and English cards, along with vintage, mid-era and modern. In other words, something for everyone.”

In store there will be everything from professionally graded cards – or ‘slabs’ – and sealed trading card boxes, to SWSH Evolving Skies Booster Boxes and, upon their much-awaited release this September, Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Boxes.

And to help enthusiasts to protect their collections, there will also be TCG accessories including sleeves, top-loaders, binders and deck boxes, amongst other storage and display options.

The new Aqua TCG store can be found at The Crescent, Upper Green Mall, Metrocentre in Gateshead.