Pop Mart, the innovative Chinese toy company behind the viral Labubu collectible, is about to shake up the heart of New York City retail. In September 2025, Pop Mart confirmed it signed a 10-year lease for a sprawling 7,000–square-foot flagship store at 1540 Broadway, marking its largest U.S. retail investment to date.
This store is poised to be a magnet for toy collectors, Gen Z trendsetters, and pop culture aficionados, bringing Pop Mart’s signature blend of blind box excitement, IP-fueled fandom, and experiential retail right to Times Square’s Bowtie.
Why Times Square, Why Now?
Labubu isn’t just hype—it’s a $4 billion retail story referencing Pop Mart’s meteoric global rise and curated store experiences from Beijing to Shanghai, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and now New York. Pop Mart previously opened small footprint shops and pop-ups, but its new Times Square store will be central to both the brand’s North American expansion and…
the larger collectibles boom. Vornado Realty Trust confirmed the lease but kept full deal details private. The Labubu Phenomenon—From Social Media to Soho Labubu, designed by artist Kasing Lung, is Pop Mart’s mischievous monster mascot, blending cute, weird, and fierce in one fluffy, sharp-toothed, oversized-eared package.
With more than 300 Labubu variants released. Labubu mania rivals Beanie Babies and Cabbage Patch kids for collectible craze. Sales Surge, Counterfeit Crackdown The brand’s North American revenue soared more than 550% from 2023 to 2024, with regional sales up nearly 900% year-on-year by mid-2025.
The demand is so high that fakes—dubbed Lafufu—have flooded the market. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission followed with safety warnings, noting that some imitation products posed choking hazards due to loose, small parts. The Store Experience—More Than Toys Pop Mart’s Times Square store will be more than a merch hub.
Drawing on strategies from its Asian flagships (one in Vietnam, for instance, is built in a castle you reach by cable car), the NYC shop promises interactive displays, artist showcases, and loyalty-driven retail experiences that fuse fandom and…
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