Bandai Namco Amusement Europe will open its first interactive retail experience store called Bandai Namco Cross Store in Camden.

The store, which will open in July as the first of its kind outside of Japan, focuses on a celebration of the physical market and Bandai Namco’s heritage as a worldwide entertainment company.

The Bandai Namco Cross Store is made up of a collection of shops where customers can see, touch and experience characters, products and events, with the goal of encouraging people to enjoy themselves whilst celebrating community and entertainment.

The store will be located in Camden Market, London, one of London’s most popular cultural hubs and popular tourist destination. It will house six ‘official shops’ that feature Bandai Namco Group content, four of which will be the first in the UK. The shops will offer a wide selection of high-quality Japanese character products from collectibles, card games, figures and everyday items.

“Camden, London, is widely recognised as offering an eclectic mix of cultural products and art,” said John McKenzie, MD of Bandai Namco Amusement Europe. “It is the perfect location to launch our Bandai Namco Cross Store concept in the UK which combines our expertise in locations-based entertainment with a rapidly growing demand for IP and concepts originating from our group’s Japanese culture.”

The official shops are: Banpresto Official Shop (first in the UK), Gashapon Bandai Official Shop, Ichibankuji Official Shop (first in the UK), MegaHouse Official Store (first in the UK), One Piece Card Game Official Shop and Sun-Star Stationery Shop (first in the UK). Attractions will include an arcade experience and event space.