Lengthy queues formed in Cardiff's St David's shopping centre on Friday, June 19, as the Chinese toy store Pop Mart opened its first ever Welsh branch. Known for selling collectables and blind boxes such as Labubus, the new 2,529sqft store is located on the upper level of the Grand Arcade.
Shoppers Eagerly Await Opening
Excited shoppers waited outside the shop from early morning, anticipating the 10am opening. Many came from far and wide to purchase never-before-stocked products in Wales and take advantage of freebies offered for the opening event.
Helen Morgan, centre director at St David's Cardiff, said: "We're so excited to welcome Pop Mart to St David’s for its highly-anticipated Welsh debut. This is an excellent addition to our retail mix that our guests have been eagerly awaiting and reflects our continued commitment to bringing world-class, experience-led brands to Cardiff."
Customer Reactions
Shoppers of all ages were seen queuing. Summer from Brynhafren drove about an hour to attend, spending £96 on five Skull Panda blind boxes and picking up a free gift. Another shopper, Poppy, left the store with a large bag full of collectables. Nineteen-year-old Madison also shopped and received a free item after spending £52 on blind boxes on opening day.
