EB Trends’ Collector’s Vault pop‑up officially closed its doors after more than two months of drawing collectors to the Toronto Eaton Centre.
Following a wildly successful 10‑week run, the EB Trends’ Collector’s Vault pop‑up closed its doors last week after offering Pokémon fans at Toronto Eaton Centre a zone to play, shop and browse. Opening on November 1 on Level 2, the activation drew more than 40,000 visitors throughout its runtime, surpassing all sales and traffic expectations.
Designed as an immersive celebration of Pokémon culture, the Collector’s Vault offered a mix of high‑value collectibles, interactive experiences, and social‑ready moments. Perhaps the most impressive part was The Legendary Wall. This curated display of ultra‑rare cards and graded treasures drew steady crowds throughout the pop‑up’s run. Fans also lined up for exclusive merch drops, available only for a limited time.
CGMagazine’s Kurston Timothy attended the press preview for the space and had this to say about the experience, “The pop-up was totally unexpected for a retail store like EB Games. They had everything, completely stocked with the newest Pokémon card releases, plus some really awesome collectibles. And it wasn’t just that, there was a pack break room where you can rip packs and record it for socials as well as some fun claw machines too.”
The biggest sensation, however, was the “Epic Pull Machine”, a $5,000 vault of premium cards that was so popular that the team had to continually replenish it. More than 7,000 Critical Win Machine pulls were recorded, with shoppers earning a free play for every $75 spent. The machine featured 20 graded cards ranging from $50 to $1,500, including standout prizes such as a TAG 10 Megas Charizard EX Holo 2016 ($1,400), CGC 9 Gengar Prime Triumphant Holo ($1,000), and a PSA 10 Celebrations Classic Charizard Holo ($735).
Toronto Pokémon fans are sure to be sad to see the EB Trends’ Collector’s Vault pop‑up go, but sadly, all good things must come to an end—and we knew it was temporary. Hopefully, this opens the door for more great fandom pop-ups in the future. 40,000 visitors can’t be wrong.
