North America's first Nintendo store-within-a-store opens at EB Games on Yonge Street

A first-of-its-kind Nintendo retail space is coming to downtown Toronto this month, and it will open its doors steps from Yonge-Dundas Square.

EB Games Canada announced Monday that a permanent, 1,500-square-foot Nintendo space will open inside its flagship store at 267 Yonge Street. According to the announcement, it is Nintendo's first-ever store-within-a-store anywhere in North America.

The space opens to the public at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony planned to mark the launch.

Visitors will find Nintendo Switch 2 hardware and software, playable demo stations, Nintendo-themed displays, merchandise and photo opportunities. A selection of My Mario merchandise will also be sold, some of it available exclusively at the Toronto location in Canada.

There's something special about gathering around the games we love, and we believe physical retail has an important role to play in creating those moments,

That quote comes from Stéphan Tétrault, owner and CEO of EB Games Canada, in a company news release. He described the Nintendo space as the kind of retail experience the company wants to offer customers — "immersive, exciting and designed to bring people closer to their favourite characters and franchises."

A first for Nintendo in North America

The project pairs Canada's largest video game retailer with one of the world's best-known entertainment companies. EB Games operates more than 170 stores across the country, specializing in video games, trading cards and pop-culture collectibles.

"We're always looking for new ways for people to experience Nintendo games and worlds," Susan Pennefather, vice president and general manager of Nintendo of Canada, said in the news release. "We're proud to bring this concept to North America for the first time, right here in Toronto."

Nintendo, headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, has sold more than 6.1 billion video games and over 870 million hardware units globally, according to the company. Its franchises include Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Animal Crossing and Splatoon.

For GTA shoppers and Nintendo fans, the Oct. 17 opening adds a dedicated destination for the company's products to a stretch of Yonge Street already known for its retail draw. The companies say the space is aimed at longtime fans, families and newcomers to Nintendo alike.