At a time when more video games are sold online, Nintendo created a place that will be a draw to gamers and tourists

"Think you guys are ready to shop?" My reply echoes the words of former Nintendo Chief Operating Officer Reggie Fils-Aimé when he tested the Wii Board at E3 2007: My body is ready. Japanese gaming giant Nintendo opened its first-ever West Coast store in San Francisco on Thursday -- the second in the US after its New York City storefront.

San Francisco is now home to the first official Nintendo store on the West Coast. Why it matters: The Thursday opening — a big win for Union Square amid its post-pandemic recovery — marks the second official Nintendo store in the U.