Vol. 2, Issue 10 - Interview with Dave Hillenbrand (Former General Manager, Pokémon USA)
In this issue, we are happy to be sharing our interview with Dave Hillenbrand, the former General Manager of Pokémon USA! Plus, the latest Pokémon news!
Welcome to Vol. 2, Issue 10 of the Johto Times newsletter! Today, we have a very special interview with Dave Hillenbrand, the former General Manager for Pokémon USA, who played a key role in the grand opening of the Pokémon Center NYC.
News
Following its closure on January 8th, 2024 for renovation and refurbishment, the Pokémon Center Tokyo Bay store will reopen on April 12th, 2024. The new-look store is inspired by the local area, with a video area shaped like a lighthouse, and flooring that represents the sand and sea. It will also feature new mascots Ampharos, Marill, and Pikachu, who can be found on merchandise throughout the store.
Source: Pokémon
Litten will be the focus of Pokémon GO's next Community Day, which takes place on March 16th, 2024. The fiery feline will appear more frequently in the wild, including its shiny form! Evolving Torracat during the event and up to five hours afterward will give players an Incineroar that knows the powerful Blast Burn attack! Special Research, Event Bonuses, Field Research, Raid Battles and other information are available on the source link below.
Source: Niantic
Feature: Interview with Dave Hillenbrand
Dave Hillenbrand was the General Manager for Pokémon USA between May 2001 and November 2002. He was responsible for overseeing the retail operations of the Pokémon brand within the United States. His role involved establishing the operations, human resources, training procedures and policies for the company, and creating and implementing its business, marketing, and advertising plans. He also developed and supervised the grand opening of the Pokémon Center NYC store.
It’s great to be speaking with you, Dave! Could you please tell us how you got your start with the Pokémon Company USA and how your career led you to it?
Dave:
I was in retail management for about 12 years before working for Pokémon USA. Previous to accepting the GM position at Pokémon USA, I had worked as a District Manager for Blockbuster Video in the New York City area. Pokémon USA did a nationwide executive search with over 200 applicants. It came down to three finalists and I was lucky to be one of them. They asked each of us to write a business plan for Pokémon USA’s future growth with no information provided. I had my business plan translated into Japanese to make it [easier] to understand.
The Pokémon executives liked that I went out of my way to connect with them and offered me the job.
You started with the company in May 2001, and by this point Pokémon was already a global phenomenon. What was your initial impression of the franchise prior to taking on the role?
Dave:
I was very familiar with Pokémon in 2001 due to having an eight year [old] son who [loved] it. My son Zachary would collect Pokémon cards and play Pokémon Stadium on Nintendo 64. I would play Pokémon Stadium with him, so I became very familiar with the different Pokémon. We would also watch the Pokémon cartoon on TV together. The Pokémon Company, parent company of Pokémon USA wanted the Pokémon brand to be a household name like Disney or Warner Bros.
What were your duties and responsibilities as General Manager?
Dave:
My first and most exciting duty as the General Manager was to create, design and build from scratch a new multi-level exciting toy store experience in the heart of New York City. Then I had to develop the structure and organization to support and grow [the] Pokémon brand in the USA. The entire project started with me in an empty conference room with the laptop and grew from there!
Did you feel restricted by The Pokémon Company’s direction, or were you given the freedom to manage the brand in the USA as you wanted?
Dave:
No, I did not. They were very collaborative. My only issue was that The Pokémon Company buyers bought too much initial inventory. I would have rather had a more dynamic system where we rebuy top sellers rather than hold on to [a] large quantity of inventory that is not moving.
One of your responsibilities was the development of the Pokémon Center New York store (PCNY). Can you tell us how the idea for a retail store in the USA first began, and about the process of bringing the idea to life?
Dave:
The Pokémon Company wanted a physical brand experience in the United States similar to the Disney and Warner Bros. stores at the time. We were able to secure a prime retail location in iconic Rockefeller Center. Aesthetically, I wanted to incorporate some of the art deco features of Rockefeller Center into the design of the store. Also, I wanted the store to be very kid friendly in regard to layout and hands-on display.
I worked with Pokémon designers to create special displays that would wow children. I would collaborate with the design architects to ensure the overall space flowed and would be easy to shop.
The Phillips Group were architects responsible for bringing the PCNY to fruition. What was it like to work with them on this project?
Dave:
The Phillips Group were wonderful to work with. They had many contacts and much experience with building projects in New York City. They embrace our vision for the store while identifying any potential issues with design or construction.
What can you tell us about the scope of the project, such as changes from its original concept, or whether ideas had to be scrapped or adapted to fit budgets and deadlines?
Dave:
The scope of the project stayed very close to the original design. We had to modify some elements like the elevator in the store and staircase for OHSA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) rules but otherwise we completed the original design as intended.
Were there any challenges that you and your team faced during the development of the PCNY, and if so, how were they overcome?
Dave:
We had several construction delays due to materials not arriving on schedule but we [were] constantly modifying the schedule in order to keep moving forward. The Pokémon Machine’s software was problematic and had to be updated several times.
The store officially opened on November 16th 2001, which you supervised. What happened during the opening, and what are your memories of working on it behind the scenes?
Dave:
The Grand Opening was an amazing marketing blitz with movie stars and many promotions. It was well planned but it was a blur to me because so much was going on. Our TV commercials were great and our events were slammed with Pokémon fans. Everyone worked together to make it the best it could be and I was very proud at the time that we had no issues and everything [happened] like clockwork.
Two months prior to opening the store, New York City was the victim of the devastating terrorist attack upon the World Trade Center. How did this tragedy affect the project and the staff working on it?
Dave:
The WTC attack affected our team greatly as almost everyone knew someone who has passed away on 9/11. The Pokémon Center was near the famous St. Patrick Cathedral where daily funerals were held for firemen who had passed away during the attack for over a month. I had a meeting with everyone involved in the project and spoke how the city, especially the children, needed this store more than ever to open on schedule.
And that is what we did. Also, our steel workers volunteered to help out with the clean-up and recovery at the World Trade Center after working on the Pokémon Store. They worked around the clock with no breaks to do both. We owe them a lot of gratitude.
The store was staffed by over 100 employees. Can you tell us what the working environment was like at the store?
Dave:
Keeping with the Pokémon spirit, each department was called a Gym [and the] department manager’s title was Gym Leader. Employers were called trainers. We focused on hiring Pokémon fans and were able to create a very positive environment.
PCNY had a wide range of exclusive merchandise, such as the Magical Clock, Pokémon Mini consoles, shirts, figurines, and much more. Were there any items that you particularly liked, and do you happen to own anything special from the store?
Dave:
I loved our baseball uniforms that the employers wore. Baseball is a shared passion of both the USA and Japan. I am glad we were able to incorporate that into the store. I have many items in my collection from the Pokémon store. We had two special trading cards that show the NYC Pokémon store made by WOTC. They are my favorite item as [they] were exclusively designed just for us.
I’m familiar with the two cards, they’re the 40th and 41st promo cards created by Wizards of the Coast, correct? I was so sad that I was never able to add these to my collection as they were never released in my home country. What can you tell us about the two cards made in collaboration with Wizards of the Coast?
Dave:
We wanted something special and original just for the PCNY. We would use them as special give-away items with other promotions. But you had to visit the PCNY to receive them. We also ran a Pokémon League and Tournaments in the historic Rockefeller Center, where winners would receive these cards.
On the #41 promo card, [what] most people don't realize is that the building landing strip decorated with a Poké Ball is actually one of the World Trade Center's roofs. This is because the card's artwork was done a few months before the 9/11 attacks.
Wizards of the Coast were responsible for the Pokémon TCG during the time you were General Manager. What was your experience like with them, and do you have any interesting stories you can share about your time communicating with them?
Dave:
I loved working with WOTC! They were very knowledgeable when it came to trading cards. We worked with them to help us host Pokémon Trading Game Tournaments at the Rockefeller Center landmark building. We worked with all the small vendors in the Center to be open during game play so families could get food and refreshments during the tournaments. It was such a great family atmosphere and we had many store trainers there to help beginners or very young fans to get started.
You mentioned earlier about wowing children with special displays at the Pokémon Center New York, and I would love to hear more about the animatronics featured across the store, which included life-sized Pokémon such as Scizor and Charizard. Photographs exist of them online, but we don't know how many of them moved, or functioned, and it would be fantastic to learn everything we can about them. What can you tell us?
Dave:
All animatronics were mechanical and not digital. They interfaced with electronics in order to move throughout the day. They needed constant maintenance as they were operational for more than 12 hours a day. On the main floor, we had a giant overhead ring of smaller Pokémon that would continuously circle the selling floor.
The Gotta Catch ‘Em All!™ Station allowed fans to obtain unique Pokémon for their Pokémon games, and seemed to be a popular and well-loved feature at the store. I know that there are people who would love to learn more about the machine, so what can you tell us about it?
Dave:
The station was featured on a Good Morning America show segment with Al Roker during our first year. The customer would simply connect their GBA to one of several ports around the machine and the flat screen on the Station would show a video while the transfer was completed. PCNY was the only place in the world at that time where you could add special Pokémon to your games.
The Pokémon Center New York Historical Website, a passion project which preserves its history, reported that some employees had confirmed the store closed down due to Nintendo being unhappy with how Pokémon USA was running it. The report goes on to state that some employees were stealing merchandise and being unprofessional. During your time as General Manager, can you confirm if anything like this happened under your watch?
Dave:
Actually, that is incorrect. The store never closed, it was changed into the Nintendo Flagship based on an agreement between Nintendo and Pokémon. The Pokémon Center was a passion project for me so it was the reason I left.
All the Nintendo people I had worked with were great but I didn’t feel happy regarding the change. During my time as General Manager, we had tight controls on stealing and unprofessional behavior so I didn’t see a lot of that. However, I did assist Pokémon Management after I left during the transition and they did not report any large losses of inventory.
Which other companies did you enjoy collaborating with when it came to the Pokémon brand?
Dave:
It was fun working on toy development with Hasbro and bringing new products to market. We also worked with 4Kids Entertainment on movie releases like Pokémon Forever. It was great doing movie premieres and meeting the actors who do the voices in the Pokémon movies and series.
What were some of your proudest achievements while working for Pokémon USA?
Dave:
Definitely opening the Pokémon Center on time in November of 2001, two months after 9/11 was a source of pride. We felt we were giving something back [to] the New York City community by opening a place of joy and wonder.
You left your role in November 2002 after more than a year and a half in the job. What are your feelings about PCNY and the Pokémon brand in the USA since leaving the role?
Dave:
I have many great memories from my time with PCNY and it is [a] source of pride that Pokémon is still a great brand today that gives so much joy and happiness to its fans. I am glad that I was able to take [part in] that journey that continues over two decades later.
Looking back, what were some of your most memorable moments from your time as General Manager of Pokémon USA?
Dave:
I was on Japanese TV doing many interviews which was very exciting. Also, I got to train in Japan for two months and learn about the role and the brand. Everyone was so supportive and wanted me to make the store a success. The Grand Opening was such a whirlwind that I didn’t sleep for a week. But to see it take place after it just began from me sitting alone in a room with a laptop was priceless.
What lessons did your role at Pokémon teach you in your career since those days?
Dave:
One of the biggest lessons from my Pokémon experience was the value of adaptability. Adapting to a new culture, new company and most important, adapting to unforeseen challenges to keep moving forward. Since the Pokémon Center was a new concept, everyone had to adapt to a new evolving store environment and team culture, me included.
Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, Dave! Do you have any closing comments you’d like to share?
Dave:
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Pokémon USA and learned so much. I am still friends with many of the employees and people we worked with to create the store. I loved learning about the Japanese culture and sharing it with my family. My son eventually moved to Japan and is a content manager for a Japanese video game. And of course, we are friends on Pokémon GO.
A massive thank you to Dave for answering our questions and giving us such an insightful interview! It was very much appreciated. On behalf of all the people who were lucky enough to visit the Pokémon Center New York store, thank you for your contribution to making that happen!
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Being from Europe, the Pokémon Center stores have always remained locations of almost mythical status to me. I'm happy to have learned more about how the one in New York operated.
This was another excellently conducted interview with a person with a strong connection to Pokémon. Please don't stop conducting these important interviews, they are not only fun to read but will remain a valuable historical resource long into the future.
What a cool interview! I got to visit the pokemon center New York when I was a kid and it was an incredible experience. I bought a ho-oh poke doll there that I still have today.