NJ Pokémon fans line up for new card set to celebrate 30th anniversary
The lines wrapped around retailers including Best Buy, Target and Walmart locations statewide as fans sought a chance to buy the newly released cards
Customers lined up around stores across New Jersey early Wednesday morning for the release of a new Pokémon card set marking the franchise's 30th anniversary.
The lines wrapped around retailers including Best Buy, Target and Walmart locations statewide as fans sought a chance to buy the newly released cards. Outside a Best Buy in Iselin, some shoppers told us they camped out overnight or woke up before dawn to get in line, some even trying multiple stores.
Part of the demand stems from the new set's reintroduction of card designs that haven't been used in decades. Pokémon debuted in 1996.
"A lot of the old cards that they're rereleasing, I'm going to be able to have in my hand, and it's going to bring back a lot of childhood nostalgia," said shopper Marcial.
Some small businesses also received shipments of the new set Wednesday. At Liquid Games, a card shop in Ocean, manager Andrew ‘A.V’ said the store is used to high demand for releases but hasn't seen anything like this.
"This is the most anticipated set," A.V said. "For like a month, I've been asked, 'Hey, how much are we getting for the 30th? What are the prices? What's the inventory like? When are you guys getting it? How much are you guys going to get? How much can I buy? Can I buy it all?'"
