PALMER TWP., Pa. – A popular family-run business is expanding operations with its first physical storefront in the Lehigh Valley.
The first brick-and-mortar location of Kyogre Kards, a trading card game seller offering cards, figurines, accessories and more, is expected to open in September at 3087 William Penn Highway in Palmer Township, co-owner Kailei Picciotti told 69 News.
The new store, Kyogre Kards’ first brick-and-mortar location, will occupy a soon-to-be-renovated space that previously housed a GameStop location in the William Penn Plaza.
The first brick-and-mortar location of Kyogre Kards is coming soon to 3087 William Penn Highway in Palmer Township.
Ryan Kneller
Picciotti and her husband, Andrew Hartzell, established Kyogre Kards about four years ago, and the business has built a large and loyal following through online sales and appearances at local trading card game shows.
“We have been running and operating our business online for the last four years, and we do something called ‘Rip ‘n Ships,’ where someone places an order for a sealed Pokémon card from us, and we open it on a live stream, and we all react,” Picciotti said.
“People can win prizes if certain cards are pulled, and so it’s a fun group and community experience. We also vend at local card shows almost every weekend. There are a lot of card shows in this area,” she added.
In January 2023, Picciotti and Hartzell received an unexpected opportunity when Orca Shop Co, an influencer marketing and livestream shopping company, approached them with an idea: start a Pokémon TCG live stream shop, according to an account on Kyogre Kards’ website.
As lifelong fans of the hobby, they seized the opportunity, naming their shop Kyogre Kards — a nod to the orca in Orca Shop’s name — before starting to stream regularly.
They purchased the shop from Orca Shop in August 2023, and since then, Kyogre Kards has grown into a thriving live shopping experience, selling over 27,000 items on TikTok Shop and “pulling some seriously rare hits for customers,” the account continues.
At their new Palmer store, Picciotti and Hartzell plan to offer a variety of trading card games and accessories.
Currently, Kyogre Kards stocks Pokémon in English, Chinese and Japanese, along with One Piece trading cards, Picciotti said
“We sell single cards and graded cards, and we’ll soon be expanding to include Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering and Weiss Schwarz,” Picciotti said.
“We also sell plushies, magnets and trading card accessories like binders, top loaders, soft sleeves and other items that you would use to protect your cards,” she added.
Picciotti and Hartzell plan to renovate the former GameStop location, making the space feel more cozy and family-friendly, Picciotti said.
There also will be a play area with a table that will be used for open play and organized events such as tournaments.
“We definitely want to cater to everyone – families, new collectors, experienced collectors and people who just enjoy the community,” Picciotti said.
“We have three kids ourselves. So, we want to make sure there’s an inviting, family vibe,” she says.
Picciotti and Hartzell are big fans of trading card games, especially Pokémon, and they’re excited to share that passion with the community even further via a new physical storefront.
Online sales will also continue, Picciotti said.
“We’re thrilled as this is something we’ve been wanting to do for years, and we have been looking for the right retail location for a long time,” Picciotti said.
“My husband and I bonded over Pokémon very early on in our relationship. He was always into it and then introduced me to it. So, we have a very big Pokemon card collection, and we play all the mainline Pokemon games and Pokemon GO. Our kids are also getting into it now. They’re starting to watch the Pokémon TV show, and they’re always wanting their Pokémon stuffed animals,” she shared.
For the latest Kyogre Kards updates, including an official opening announcement for the Palmer store, follow the business’ pages on Facebook and Instagram. Info: kyogrekards.com.