Bandai Namco Cross Store Opens in New York; Customers Shop for Various Japanese Pop Culture Goods

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:09 JST, March 3, 2025

NEW YORK — Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. opened a Cross Store, which sells anime goods and other products, in Brooklyn, New York, on Friday.

It is the first Cross Store in North America and one of the largest retail stores in the United States for purchasing such goods.

Fans of Japanese anime were seen shopping for trading cards of the popular anime “One Piece,” “Gundam” plastic model kits, “Tamagotchi” toys and other products, including those contained in the about 200 capsule toy vending machines installed at the store.

A 29-year-old customer from New Jersey who purchased $700 (¥105,000) worth of One Piece trading cards started lining up at the store at 5 a.m. The customer, who was holding a large shopping bag, said that they have been a fan of One Piece for seven years and that they wanted to come back to the store again.

Bandai Namco, which also opened a large Cross Store in London in August 2023, is strengthening its overseas expansion.