Taking a look at the new MLB pop-up store in London
by Steve
This lunchtime I went for a walk to Long Acre in Covent Garden to have a mooch around the brand new pop-up store dedicated to everything Major League Baseball.
As you might expect, there is a pretty comprehensive range of baseball caps and jerseys, covering most MLB sides. There appeared to be one or two unusual jerseys, but the caps were the sort of standard stuff you might see in London’s New Era store, or could buy online.
There were also a few pieces of, well, casual wear – t-shirts, jackets, socks. Plus a few normal baseballs, gloves and bats, for those visitors who actually want to play the game.
There is also a big screen showing a game, if you fancy a break from all that retail therapy.
My favourite items were the vintage-style baseballs, each design offering a nod to a team’s past, or in some cases representing a past team – I saw a rather handsome Montreal Expos baseball.
It is clearly early days for the store, so I intend to visit a few more times before the pop-up closes at the end of the year to see how it evolves. I hope they will bring in some more items. While what they had in stock was great it would be nice to have a little more on offer – especially for any baseball fans planning a journey into London, rather than baseball fans like me who can just wander in on their lunch hour.
And hopefully if there is some more stock they will offer some cheaper items too. A word of warning – everything was pretty expensive. I will be saving the pennies for one of those vintage baseballs. I’d like more than one, but at £30 a go, I can’t really justify that. I’m not sure I can justify spending that much on one, to be honest. But perhaps I have no concept of how much these things cost. And they are really lovely.
If you’re in the area and you like baseball it is well worth a visit, even only for the novelty value of seeing a MLB shop outside the United States. I’m really pleased that baseball is reaching out to new areas. And if I win the lottery, I’m buying everything in there.
No Toledo Mudhens gear? They’re ‘my’ team now by virtue of them being the only American baseball tea, I’ve watched play in their own stadium. Far from Major league though 🙂
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No Mudhens gear, I’m afraid. All the smaller teams seem to have the best names and the best merchandise. I would very much like an IronPigs bacon cap: http://ironpigs.milbstore.com/store.cfm?dept_id=1789&store_id=116
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This is extremely cool. Every stadium I’ve been to has a store with tons of team merch, but it would be difficult to find, say, an Orioles jersey without goi to Camden in Baltimore.
Did they have any minor league stuff? The Mud Hens are great!!
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No minor league gear, which is a real missed opportunity as they seem to have all the fun designs. Still, great to have so many team jerseys in one place. I already have a Mets jersey, but might be tempted to add to the collection…
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I was thinking of your Mets fandom earlier this year… I was down at a minor league game and the Mets’ affiliate was playing. The Las Vegas 51’s. Their logo is pretty good, but it’s no match for their rival, the mighty El Paso Chihuahuas.
My favorite minor league team name is the Montgomery Biscuits. Their mascot is a biscuit the
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I would love to be a fly on the wall when these wacky team names and mascots are decided. The Montgomery Biscuits is an awesome name!
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Hi, can someone give me the address please
I didn’t find the store :(, and I want to soon.
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Hi Josue. The store in on Long Acre in Covent Garden, right near the junction with Drury Lane. I think the actual door number is 74. Here’s a map: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/74+Long+Acre,+London+WC2E/@51.5142874,-0.1223051,19.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x487604cb4f12bad7:0x956c5abf09e42f03!8m2!3d51.5143972!4d-0.1223354
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Just a shame they didn’t have any world series merch especially when they launched the pop-up at this time of year
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I’m not sure if they did manage to get any world series stuff in or not – they seem to rotate stock and get various new bits and pieces in, so there is an element of chance as to what you might find on any given visit.
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I asked if they were going to get some WS merch in and they said no and that they havent had any shipment previously
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Ah, I see. That’s a real shame and a missed opportunity.
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Hi Steve, could you please tell me what’s the store’s
phone number?
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I don’t think it is still open, and I can’t find a number for it anyway I’m afraid. Sorry!
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