A new County Durham vintage shop supplying rare Pokémon cards and Warhammer collectibles, to name a few, is set to open its doors this weekend.
Los Poke Hermanos, which has built a following through markets and pop-ups across the North East over the past three years, is set to open its first permanent store at 25 High Street South in Langley Moor on Sunday, August 16.
The business is run by Will Sewell, 27, and partner Krista Bennett, 27, and will stock a range of Pokémon cards, including high-end and rare pieces, alongside Warhammer, Lego, vintage toys, graphic novels, games, and action figures.
Will, from Crook, said the shop would give collectors a chance to find items they may not usually see elsewhere.
Owner Will Sewell
(Image: SUPPLIED)
He said: "Pokemon is the number one thing for us, and we do specialise quite well in the rarer stuff.
"We will have a lot of high-end pieces as well.
"When you are dealing with Pokemon, a lot of people are selling the same things because they are getting the current stuff that is in circulation.
"We have done well to differentiate ourselves from that.
"There will be pieces in there that are like museum pieces.
"If you come in and see them, I do not think you would see them anywhere else."
Los Poke Hermanos began in 2023 after Will, who had previously worked in pawn shops, needed money for a replacement gearbox for his car while coping with grief after losing a family member.
He took items, including Funko Pops, to a toy fair in the hope of raising enough money for the repair and said it has been history ever since.
Will said: "I needed to pay for a gearbox for a BMW, which was not cheap.
"I was going through a bit of grief, and it was a mechanism to keep myself busy because I knew I was not in a good spot.
"We got the money that we needed and a bit more, and I just kept putting it back in.
"I set myself the target that if I could constantly reinvest and make roughly what I would be getting paid weekly, I could focus on branching away from working life to be able to spend more time with my kids.
"The rest is history and we have been running for three years now."
The store will also offer Warhammer products through a direct supplier, something Will said he was keen to bring to the area because of the strong community around the game.
He said: "We sell Warhammer, which we have a direct line to now, and that has a huge following in itself.
"In the future, we want to do trading nights, game nights and evenings where people can come, paint, and socialise.
"I think a lot of people could do with somewhere they have a shared interest, can meet people, and switch off a bit from the outside."
Will said he was "buzzing" to be opening the business’s first permanent shop after years of travelling to markets across the North East.
He said: "To have a first brick and mortar shop where there is always going to be somebody in, and somewhere anybody can turn up, I am just really excited.
"We had a unit that we were going to turn into a shop before, but it did not really work out.
"My partner just booked a viewing at this shop to get a feeling for it and maybe learn a little bit, and I was on the fence about it.
"We went there and after about two minutes, I was like, 'Yep, we will take it.'"
Will said the response from customers has been "incredible", with people supporting the couple at markets and pop-up events across the region.
He said: "We have worked really hard.
"We have mainly traded three times a week most of the time and covered a lot of ground across the North East.
Los Poke Hermanos
(Image: SUPPLIED)
"I would say it feels more like a family thing than a customer base.
"We are quite personal with a lot of our customers and people have built a relationship with us."
The couple hope the new shop will become a welcoming community space as well as a go-to place for collectors.
Read more
North East second-hand shop with a twist raising money for hospice
Durham Market Hall celebrates 175 years and 120-year business partnership
North Yorkshire designer clothes shop announces closure after two years of trading
Will added: "If people ever need that escapism, that is basically what we are trying to do.
"The world is a pretty bleak place most days, so I would like people to come here and switch off from the outside world.
"They do not even have to buy anything, but I hope I can provide people a bit of escapism and nostalgia."