Bandai Namco Amusement America (Irvine, Calif.) will launch a Gundam Base store in Rosemont, Ill., this winter. The 3000-square foot space, which is slated for the Fashion Outlets Chicago in that city’s western suburbs, will sell Gunpla (Gundam plastic models), T-shirts and other merchandise related to a long-running, action-oriented anime series that originated in Japan.
Launching under the tagline “Fun to build Gunpla,” the store “will carry exclusive products only available at The Gundam Base and cater to both new and longtime fans by offering an engaging experience built around four key themes: watch, buy, build and learn,” Bandai said in a news release.
No specific launch date has been announced for the Rosemont locale, which will be the brand’s first permanent U.S. store. (Gundam has run several pop-up events around the country in recent years.) Overall, there are 31 Gundam Base stores operating in Korea, Japan, Shanghai and Thailand.