February 27th may seem like an ordinary day, but to many people around the world it’s known as Pokémon day. This year, the franchise turns 30 years old.

Pokémon Red and Green was the first game to be released, on the 27th of February 1996. It was the birth of an ever growing company, with TV shows, more games, books and merchandise following suit. Pokémon is now worth an estimated £110 billion, making it the most profitable franchise in the world.

One of the most prominent spin-offs of the Poké-universe is its trading card company arm, where collectors and competitors alike can play with 60-card decks, sometimes making money in tournaments. It’s this trading card game that has seen much hype, and people have seen opportunity to turn it into a profitable business for themselves.

In Llandrindod Wells, KDM Local sells retro and collectables, with a huge selection of trading card games that span franchises such as One Piece and Yu-Gi-Oh. Kevin Martin, owner of KDM, anticipates 2026 to be a big year for their business. “Everything seems to be aligning with a growing demand for our services. I think this year will be massive, but I do feel there is a bubble building, so perhaps when the hype of the 30th anniversary passes, we might find a slowdown occurs, but I think Pokémon, much like the last 30 years, is here to stay.”

The bubble that is building comes down to the skyrocketing prices of some of Pokémon cards, which people refer to as ‘chase cards’. A vintage Charizard card, for example, graded at PSA10 - meaning it is in immaculate condition - can sell for as much as £500,000. Internet personality Logan Paul recently sold a Pikachu Illustrator Card for $16.5 million. It’s created a scarcity market, where true Pokémon fans and collectors are losing out to scalpers - those buying up all the stock they can with hopes of reselling at double or even triple the price - and to a limited supply. Pokémon theft and robberies are also on the rise.

This heated market can cause headaches for independent businesses like Kevin, who is selling for the love of the industry, to others who aren’t in it to make a profit. “Whilst the current boom is fantastic, it does come with some pitfalls. Sourcing product is difficult, but having harboured such good connections with our wholesalers across the UK for over a decade they have been fantastic at making sure product gets to businesses they know will get it into the hands of genuine customers.

“The demand for Pokémon is rising, and with that our long-term partnerships are paying off with lots of stock landing with each release. We operate a reservation limit, but by being a bricks and mortar store we actually get to see and engage with our customers which means we know who are in it for the love of Pokémon, but we also appreciate the place of the person who wants to keep their products sealed and collect that way. How we manage this demand is we tend to limit purchases per person to make sure we have enough product to go around.”

KDM Local, which started 11 years ago, now have three premisses in Llandrindod, with the initial business in the newsagents going strong. They’ve since added two designated gaming shops to their roster within the newly revamped Automobile Palace in Llandrindod. Their business has now transformed into a local gaming hub, where people can come together to socialise. They also have a thriving online presence.

“This Pokémon celebration day we are hosting on February 28th will be a great chance for like-minded people to come together. With it taking place inside the Automobile Palace, it's also a chance for people to see some of the other businesses now within the premises, and of course visit the National Cycle Museum which is a real gem.

“The game is brilliant for children and adults, it's great for parents to connect with the kids, but it also enables us to bring people together, which is our number one objective. In a world often filled with such pain and sadness, something so innocent and joyful is a really good thing we should champion.”