The Pokémon Company International acquiring Excell Brands is a big deal. Let's talk about what it actually means. When a brand becomes its own distributor, it controls everything — who gets product, how much, and on what terms. That's not inherently bad. But the question hobby shops everywhere should be asking right now is: does Pokémon see us as partners, or just as one of many retail channels? Big box stores like Target can move enormous volume. But volume isn't the same as community. Hobby shops are where the next generation of players is built — through tournaments, through learning the game, through showing up every week and finding their people. That's not something a retail shelf can replicate. My real concern is scalpers. Direct distribution gives Pokémon more control than they've ever had to actually fix the allocation problem. They could prioritize shops that run events, cap quantities per buyer, and protect MSRP at the hobby level. Or they could chase volume and let scalpers keep winning. This is a pivotal moment. I'm genuinely hopeful they use it wisely. If anyone at Pokemon or Excell Brands is watching this space — I'd love to have that conversation. We built one of the fastest growing hobby shops in the country in under a year by putting community first, building a base so this hobby endures for another 30 years. I think that perspective is useful right now. What does this mean for your local game store? 👇 https://lnkd.in/gPs8iMr2