News: Rotherham Pokémon store looking to level up
Expansion could be on the cards at a Pokémon-themed shop and café in Rotherham town centre.
Moving across town from the Imperial Buildings and transforming a vacant unit in The Old Town Hall in 2023, enterprising Lee Kucia has created a haven for Pokémon fans, offering cards, booster boxes, toys and graded cards. The theme continues into a Coffee House serving barista coffee, hot drinks, cake and sandwiches that also offers space for trading and playing.
Under the name, PokiLee, Lee has amassed over 11,000 subscribers on YouTube who catch him opening packs, interacting with customers and various other live streams.
Now a planning application has been approved for a potential new expansion project at PokiLee's PokiWorld, converting storage space into an amusement arcade.
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Lee explained: "Families can come to purchase Pokémon products such as packs, cards etc and then open them in the coffee house seating area. This is Unit 20- 21 where we are currently trading. This does extremely well and has customers coming in from all over the country to visit.
"[I] currently use the next door unit (18 to 19 Old Town Hall) for storage, my plan is to add double doors to access the next door unit to open a small arcade section for families to enjoy.
"As the arcade would be accessible via our store area there will be minimal machine noise as not to bother customers or other businesses and more importantly to be able to monitor who is coming in and out of the arcade (along with the many security cameras we have installed).
"The opening times of the arcade will be the same as the store, meaning the earliest opening time is 10am and the latest closing time is 6:30pm, this ensures we are not bothering any other businesses at late hours - no sound pollution or annoyances."
Approving the plans, Rotherham Council officers said that the new use would not go against local planning policies and dilute the concentration of shops in the secondary shopping frontage below 30%. They added that it would reintroduce an active shop frontage and look to make a positive contribution to the units of the Old Town Hall, not appearing out of character, or cause harm to other units in the building.
Planners concluded that the proposal would enhance the viability and vitality of Rotherham town centre.
PokiLee's PokiWorld website
Images: Pokilee's PokiWorld
Moving across town from the Imperial Buildings and transforming a vacant unit in The Old Town Hall in 2023, enterprising Lee Kucia has created a haven for Pokémon fans, offering cards, booster boxes, toys and graded cards. The theme continues into a Coffee House serving barista coffee, hot drinks, cake and sandwiches that also offers space for trading and playing.
Under the name, PokiLee, Lee has amassed over 11,000 subscribers on YouTube who catch him opening packs, interacting with customers and various other live streams.
Now a planning application has been approved for a potential new expansion project at PokiLee's PokiWorld, converting storage space into an amusement arcade.
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Lee explained: "Families can come to purchase Pokémon products such as packs, cards etc and then open them in the coffee house seating area. This is Unit 20- 21 where we are currently trading. This does extremely well and has customers coming in from all over the country to visit.
"[I] currently use the next door unit (18 to 19 Old Town Hall) for storage, my plan is to add double doors to access the next door unit to open a small arcade section for families to enjoy.
"As the arcade would be accessible via our store area there will be minimal machine noise as not to bother customers or other businesses and more importantly to be able to monitor who is coming in and out of the arcade (along with the many security cameras we have installed).
"The opening times of the arcade will be the same as the store, meaning the earliest opening time is 10am and the latest closing time is 6:30pm, this ensures we are not bothering any other businesses at late hours - no sound pollution or annoyances."
Approving the plans, Rotherham Council officers said that the new use would not go against local planning policies and dilute the concentration of shops in the secondary shopping frontage below 30%. They added that it would reintroduce an active shop frontage and look to make a positive contribution to the units of the Old Town Hall, not appearing out of character, or cause harm to other units in the building.
Planners concluded that the proposal would enhance the viability and vitality of Rotherham town centre.
PokiLee's PokiWorld website
Images: Pokilee's PokiWorld
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