News: Unique retailer ready to level up long-vacant Rotherham unit
Expansion could be on the cards again for 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.
Rothbiz reported last year on PokiLee's PokiWorld securing planning permission to enable an expansion into a next door unit within the historic Old Town Hall.
Having renamed as PokiLee's CardCade, now another set of plans has been submitted for a change of use at a new retail unit in Rotherham town centre - a bigger building which will allow both businesses to operate cohesively from one location.
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14 Howard Street is part of the Cascades Centre, opposite the Old Town Hall, in between the Rotherham Interchange and Rotherham Markets.
Formerly an Argos store, the unit features 8,500 sq ft over two floors.
In 2020, Sainsbury's, the owner of Argos, picked out the Howard Street outlet as part of a national programme of store closures.
It has been largely empty apart from a short period in 2025, operating as Big Deals Rotherham.
The planning application states: "The retail business is presently operated from Units 20-21, Old Town Hall, Rotherham, and has established a strong customer base, attracting visitors from across the wider region. An associated small-scale, family-orientated amusement use is operated from the adjoining premises at 18-19 Old Town Hall.
"Due to the continued success and growth of the business, the applicant is relocating to a larger unit at 14 Howard Street in order to consolidate the existing retail, coffee house and amusement elements into a single premises. As a result, the proposed use of the new property requires a change from a single retail use to a retail-led mixed use, allowing the business to operate cohesively from one location.
"The proposal retains retail as the principal use of the premises, with the shopfront and primary public-facing areas continuing to operate as a retail unit. The amusement machine elements are complementary to the main retail use and are intended to enhance customer experience and support town-centre vitality."
Pokilee's CardCade website
Images: Rees Denton / Pokilee
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.
Rothbiz reported last year on PokiLee's PokiWorld securing planning permission to enable an expansion into a next door unit within the historic Old Town Hall.
Having renamed as PokiLee's CardCade, now another set of plans has been submitted for a change of use at a new retail unit in Rotherham town centre - a bigger building which will allow both businesses to operate cohesively from one location.
Advertisement
14 Howard Street is part of the Cascades Centre, opposite the Old Town Hall, in between the Rotherham Interchange and Rotherham Markets.
Formerly an Argos store, the unit features 8,500 sq ft over two floors.
In 2020, Sainsbury's, the owner of Argos, picked out the Howard Street outlet as part of a national programme of store closures.
It has been largely empty apart from a short period in 2025, operating as Big Deals Rotherham.
The planning application states: "The retail business is presently operated from Units 20-21, Old Town Hall, Rotherham, and has established a strong customer base, attracting visitors from across the wider region. An associated small-scale, family-orientated amusement use is operated from the adjoining premises at 18-19 Old Town Hall.
"Due to the continued success and growth of the business, the applicant is relocating to a larger unit at 14 Howard Street in order to consolidate the existing retail, coffee house and amusement elements into a single premises. As a result, the proposed use of the new property requires a change from a single retail use to a retail-led mixed use, allowing the business to operate cohesively from one location.
"The proposal retains retail as the principal use of the premises, with the shopfront and primary public-facing areas continuing to operate as a retail unit. The amusement machine elements are complementary to the main retail use and are intended to enhance customer experience and support town-centre vitality."
Pokilee's CardCade website
Images: Rees Denton / Pokilee
4 comments:
So...one unit is filled, but it just means another one will be vacant.
So it's not better to have a small unit empty rather than a large one? Or are you just using the story for yet another whine?
Bet Meadowhall and The Glassworks are panicking about this new development!🤣
No need for The Glassworks to worry. It only attracts cheap shops.
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