If you walked through Richmond Centre today, you might have done a double take.
Pop Mart has quietly opened, and yet their Instagram is still saying “Coming Soon Canada.”
No grand opening announcement date.
No launch countdown.
Not even a hint on socials that the doors would swing open today.
But they did, and the reaction was instant.
By the afternoon, a full queue had formed outside the store.
People said it was around a 25 minute wait, with fans lining the hallway and peering inside every chance they got.
Once you step through the entrance, the space feels bright, busy, and packed with colour.
Glass cases display full collections of Molly, Skullpanda, Dimoo, and The Monsters.
Collectors crowded around the display shelves, pointing out their grails and taking photos before picking out blind boxes.
On the side wall, the POP Blocks series is stacked deep, including sets like Jam Graffiti, Juice Maker, Magical Plants, and the How to Train Your Dragon collaboration.
You can hear people debating which set to grab, especially since some boxes looked like they were already running low.
This is clearly the real deal, especially with staff actively restocking, assisting collectors, and walking people through the latest series.
For longtime fans, this opening is a moment.
This will be their first official Pop Mart store in Canada—though technically the brand did have a previous location in Richmond called Pop Mart Binggo at Union Square Shopping Centre in 2021.
The store later dropped the Pop Mart name and has been operating simply as Binggo.
According to a report by Vancouver Sun, a Pop Mart rep said Binggo was a reseller although the official Pop Mart Instagram did claim it was the first North American Pop Mart store.
The decision to open quietly makes things even more surreal.
Their latest Instagram post, uploaded just two days ago, still says the store is “Coming Soon” to Canada.
No update.
No announcement that they opened today.
Just a packed store and a long line of fans who figured it out on their own.
And it does not stop here.
A second official Pop Mart location is also slated to open in Metropolis at Metrotown, meaning Burnaby collectors will soon have their own spot.
For now, if you want first pick at the Richmond Centre store, expect to wait, especially as more people realize the shop is already open.
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Address: CF Richmond Centre, Richmond BC