Shoppers wandering through the East Broadway corridors of Bloomington will encounter a massive Japanese pop culture hub when the Bandai Namco Cross Store officially lands in Minnesota on September 30, 2026. Doors open on Wednesday. Bandai Namco Amusement America and Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles announced the joint venture to bring character goods and model kits to the country’s largest retail complex. The simultaneous opening establishes the second U.S. location for both concepts, serving a destination that welcomes over 32 million visitors annually. [1, 2]
Mall of America Welcomes Bandai Namco Cross Store
Mall of America provides an enormous commercial stage for Japanese retail expansion with its 5.6 million square feet of floor space and up to 500 world-class stores. Built in 1992 just minutes from Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, the Bloomington destination attracts shoppers from across the globe. Bandai Namco selected the venue to plant its Midwestern flagship, situating the new retail units at 102 E. Broadway. Operating hours run Monday through Saturday from 10:00am to 9:00pm, with Sunday schedules closing earlier at 7:00pm. [2]
Both storefronts share an entrance. Bandai Namco Amusement America operates the units side by side on the East Broadway level. [1, 2]
The dual launch marks a strategic leap beyond coastal hubs, following the debut of the first American Cross Store at Japan Village in Brooklyn, New York. Bandai Namco Amusement America President & CEO Kunito Komori emphasized that the team aims to welcome new and longtime enthusiasts under a unified roof. Komori noted that the company remains eager to continue expanding both store concepts across the United States. Retail growth accelerates. By placing official shops within North America’s largest shopping venue, Bandai Namco connects domestic Japanese merchandise lines directly to Midwestern collectors who previously relied on third-party imports or coastal convention trips. [1, 2]
Inside the Fifteen Character Brand Shops
What is Bandai Namco Cross Store? The format serves as an official retail destination where fans can directly see, touch, and experience characters and entertainment goods developed across Bandai Namco Group companies (a specialized retail model housing diverse corporate product lines under a single roof). Rather than scattering merchandise across independent hobby retailers, the complex unites fifteen distinct branded storefronts into one integrated shopping space. The Bloomington lineup includes BANDAI CANDY OFFICIAL SHOP ～COLLECTION～, BANDAI CARD GAMES OFFICIAL STORE, Bandai Namco Anime Station, BANDAI HOBBY SHOP, BANDAI TOYS, BANPRESTO OFFICIAL SHOP, GASHAPON® BANDAI OFFICIAL SHOP, ICHIBANSHO FIGURE, LIFESTYLE BANDAI, MEGA KAWAII SHOP, Namco, NUICOLLE SHOP, Sun-Star Stationery Shop, TAMAGOTCHI SHOP, and TAMASHII NATIONS. [2]
Each zone targets a different facet of Japanese hobby culture. Collectors searching for high-end articulated statues can browse TAMASHII NATIONS showcases, while casual shoppers explore capsule vending machines at the GASHAPON official shop or retro digital pets at the TAMAGOTCHI counter. Sun-Star Stationery Shop adds pens, notebooks, and desk accessories derived from popular animation licenses. Banpresto provides prize figures and lifestyle novelties from NUICOLLE SHOP. Diverse goods fill every aisle. [1, 2]
Bandai Namco Amusement America operates this extensive brand network through its Intellectual Property Retail Division. The corporate division manages location-based attractions, pop-up stores, and arcade installations throughout North America. By assembling card game tournament spaces, plush stalls, and stationery counters in Minneapolis, the company turns a standard mall visit into an interactive community gathering. [2]
The Gundam Base Expands Across the Midwest
Right next door to the Cross Store, THE GUNDAM BASE Minneapolis establishes a dedicated sanctuary for builders of Mobile Suit scale models known globally as Gunpla (G-BASE). The specialty facility represents only the second official Gundam Base in the United States, arriving nine months after the December 2025 opening of The Gundam Base Chicago. Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles designed the complex to strengthen regional access to imported kits, specialized assembly tools, and hobby accessories. [1, 2]
Midwestern winters encourage indoor craftsmanship. Freezing Minnesota temperatures keep hobbyists inside for months, creating a passionate audience eager to spend evenings clipping plastic runners and detailing mecha joints. Casey Baseel of SoraNews24 observed that while placing America’s first two Gundam Bases in Illinois and Minnesota might seem unusual compared to traditional coastal rollouts, the region’s climate generates immense demand for indoor modeling pastimes. [1]
While Bandai Namco expands television narratives through productions like the Gundam RG XARX-ZERO anime project scheduled for 2027, the Mall of America facility concentrates strictly on physical modeling culture. The storefront incorporates finished dioramas, scale exhibits, and educational assembly tables designed to welcome novice builders and seasoned veterans alike. Dedicated shelves stock specialized tools (such as plastic runner nippers and panel-lining markers). Hobbyists can assemble their purchases immediately after leaving the register. [1, 2]
Opening Exclusives, Bonuses and Limited Model Kits
Grand opening celebrations bring a roster of exclusive model kits manufactured specifically for official Gundam Base storefronts. Headline releases include the MG 1/100 RX-78-2 Ver. 3.0 in Gundam Base colors and the RG 1/144 Wing Gundam Zero EW molded in clear plastic from Mobile Suit Gundam. Collectors can also purchase the HaroPla Gundam Base Limited Haro mascot kit in signature navy and white tones. SoraNews24 highlighted the comical reality that these official retail model titles now boast names significantly longer than the animated mecha featured on screen. [1, 2]
Promotional incentives reward early shoppers across both venues. Customers buying any item within the Bandai Namco Cross Store receive a complimentary branded tote bag, while individual participating brand stations provide dedicated gifts with purchase. Visitors spending $100 or more inside The Gundam Base receive an exclusive clear fanny pack stamped with the official facility insignia. Stock remains strictly limited. Bandai Namco confirmed that all promotional giveaways will distribute only while opening supplies last. [2]
Midwest collectors who previously traveled to annual convention halls or regional events like the OC Japan Fair cultural gathering now gain permanent access to official inventory. Direct retail availability removes secondary distributor markups on rare kits and eliminates lengthy overseas shipping delays. [1, 2]
From Tokyo to Seattle: Bandai Namco’s Strategy
The rapid expansion across North America unfolds just as Japanese fans bid farewell to Tokyo’s iconic life-size mobile suit installations. Tokyo dismantled its statue. August 31 marked the final day of public display for the city’s 1:1-scale Unicorn Gundam before engineering crews initiated disassembly in Odaiba (the landmark full-scale installation in Tokyo). Furthermore, the current whereabouts of Japan’s original 1:1 Gundam statue remain completely undisclosed following extensive exhibition stints across Yokohama and Osaka that concluded earlier this decade. While enthusiasts wondered whether retired statue components might journey abroad as store centerpieces, Bandai Namco keeps display plans confidential. [1]
How far will Bandai Namco push its physical retail footprint? The company will soon expand from the American Midwest into the American West when Westfield Southcenter in Seattle welcomes its own dedicated Gundam Base later this fall. Seattle opens later this fall. Bandai Namco has not yet published an exact opening date for the Washington location, though officials confirmed that grand opening activities and exclusive merchandise lineups will be announced closer to debut. [1]
Anchoring these specialty operations inside Mall of America places Japanese character franchises beside world-renowned attractions like the 7-acre Nickelodeon Universe theme park and the SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium, highlighted frequently on the mall’s official podcast So Much More. Bandai Namco Amusement America and Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles are betting that immersive physical destinations will build lasting loyalty among American hobbyists. As doors unlock at 10:00am on September 30, Midwest fans can finally step into an authentic piece of Tokyo’s hobby district without ever boarding a transpacific flight. [1, 2]
- ONLINE NEWS Baseel, C. (2026, September 19). New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month. SoraNews24. [Article Link]
- PRESS RELEASE Anime News Network. (2026, September 18). Bandai Namco Cross Store and THE GUNDAM BASE Opening at Mall of America [Press release]. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Anime News Network Newsroom. (2026, September 18). Bandai Namco Cross Store and THE GUNDAM BASE Opening at Mall of America. [Article Link]
