ROME, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese trendy toy company POP MART (09992.HK) opened a temporary pop-up store in downtown Milan on Tuesday, nearly a year after launching its first Italian store in Milan, located on Corso Buenos Aires, as part of efforts to further strengthen its footprint in the European market.
The pop-up store, located in the basement of the renowned Italian department store Rinascente, features the brand's signature blind box series, including Labubu, SkullPanda, Dimoo, Hirono, Molly, and The Monsters, as well as collaborative collections with global brands.
Since late 2024, POP MART's Labubu and other blind box products have gained rapid popularity in Italy, drawing long queues of eager fans. The new pop-up store aims to meet the sustained demand from local collectors.
Marco Ardizzone, POP MART's sales director for Southern Europe, told media that the company plans to open its second official Italian store by late July 2025, marking a strategic move to solidify its European expansion and cater to growing consumer interest.
It is learned that the pop-up store's opening attracted hundreds of fans, with some lining up as early as the night of Monday to secure the coveted Labubu series.
POP MART has been expanding globally. While Europe remains a small portion of its overall business, growth in the region has been exceptionally strong.
(Contributed by Gao Jingyan in Rome, edited by Li Shimeng with Xinhua Silk Road, lishimeng@xinhua.org)
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