Chinese collectibles giant Pop Mart set to shutter Soho, London store at end of this month
Pop Mart, the Chinese retailer known for selling collectable vinyl figures in mystery blind boxes, has taken to social media to announce the closure of its store in Soho, London. In an Instagram post, it said: “To our amazing Soho community, thank you for all the wonderful memories, support, and love you’ve shared with us over the years! Our Soho store’s last trading day will be Saturday, 29th August.”
It added: “While we’re saying goodbye to this location, the fun doesn't stop here! You can still find all your favourite Pop Mart collectibles just around the corner at our nearby store: Charing Cross, 69-71 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0NE.”
It did not give a reason for this move, but it is likely that, with the recent opening at Charing Cross Road, alongside a location on nearby Oxford Street, Soho was surplus to requirements.
The Charing Cross location opened in April and is Pop Mart’s largest London store to date. It spans 5,090 square feet and introduces a mezzanine level, a first for one of its stores in the UK.
Situated in the former home of House of Spells, it boosted the brand’s London presence with seven (make that six now, given the Soho announcement) standalone stores and nine London locations overall, including dedicated spaces within Harrods and Hamleys.
Ian Ashton, Head of UK Retail at Pop Mart, said: "The growth of our London community has been incredible, and this store is a reflection of that momentum. Charing Cross Road is more than a retail space - it’s where the Pop Mart universe comes to life, bringing together collectors, creativity and culture in one destination. This opening is about giving our community a home, while inviting new fans to discover what makes Pop Mart so unique."
Opening under the theme Step Into the Magic, the location introduces the Twinkle Twinkle Fairground, an immersive experience designed to spark curiosity and bring Pop Mart’s characters to life.
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Physical stores will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
