Nintendo Forces Pokemon Card Shop to Change its Name After Major Robbery

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A Pokémon card shop in Manhattan, which recently made headlines after being robbed, has rebranded following a trademark request from Nintendo.

The business previously called The Poké Court has changed its name to The Trainer Court. This change happened after Nintendo contacted them about using copyrighted material.

In January, three people wearing masks and carrying weapons entered the store during a community event and stole over $100,000 worth of items, including trading cards and collectibles. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt, and the police are investigating.

The Fallout

As a huge Pokémon fan and card collector, I was really excited when The Poké Court opened up here in Manhattan last year. They quickly became a popular spot for events and had a great selection of cards. But then, after a robbery made the news, Nintendo got in touch. Apparently, the store’s name and logo were a little too close to their official Pokémon trademarks, and they had some concerns about it.

After being contacted, the business owners decided to change the name and overall branding. They announced the new name, The Trainer Court, on social media, explaining the changes were made to prevent any trademark problems and ensure they could keep operating. As part of the rebranding, they stopped using the Poké Ball symbol and removed the word “Poké” from the name.

A Pokémon card shop is changing its name and branding after Nintendo reached out regarding trademark issues, following an armed robbery that occurred at the store.

The outpouring of support from the incident alerted Nintendo to The Poké Court’s name and logo

— Dexerto (@Dexerto) February 21, 2026

The store’s official website posted about the change saying,

We’re incredibly grateful for the amazing support we’ve received from everyone, both locally and around the world, in the short time we’ve been open – less than two years! ❤️

As a lifelong movie and Pokémon fan, I’m so grateful for the incredible community that’s grown with us – from our humble beginnings to where we are today with our shop and online store. We’re still totally passionate about Pokémon and sharing that love with all of you, and we’re excited to keep doing so!

Nintendo contacted us about our name and logo, and we’ve decided to use this as a chance to refresh our brand. We have some great new things coming up this year, so it feels like the right time to evolve!

We are now: The Trainer Court

We’ll always cherish our first event, “The Poké Court,” but we’re committed to continually improving and striving for excellence!

Only hits at The Trainer Court 💫

Context

Nintendo strongly protects its brand, including the names and images from its popular franchises. Pokémon is one of its most famous and widely licensed properties. Generally, you need permission to use Pokémon trademarks, logos, or characters for commercial purposes.

People had different opinions about Nintendo’s actions. Some felt reaching out to a small business so soon after a robbery was tactless, while others pointed out that protecting trademarks is a standard legal practice for any company that owns them.

Since rebranding as The Trainer Court, the store has continued to operate and serve its customers, as communicated publicly. The owners have thanked the community for their support after both the recent robbery and the change in name. They also plan to remain a central meeting place for local collectors and fans.

This robbery wasn’t an isolated incident. There’s been a recent increase in thefts at card shops and collectible stores across the U.S. As trading cards become more valuable, these businesses are increasingly being targeted by thieves.

The recent name change is due to both legal issues and the difficulties faced by small stores selling collectibles today. Even though the store is now known as something new, people are still talking about the robbery and the request to change the name.

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2026-02-26 02:59