At Pokeclaw, a new Mid City claw machine arcade that opened Oct. 6, there’s plushies, Pokémon cards, Labubus and more up for the taking.
At 5355 Government St. in Baton Rouge, Pokeclaw has eight claw machines filled with plushies, and all ages can play for as low as $1.
Owner Edmond Ng has lived in Baton Rouge for 10 years, and he wanted to open a spot that offers fun for the whole family.
“I got two kids of my own, so I wanted to open something kid-friendly and for Pokémon lovers too,” Ng said.
Ng and his son bond over their love for Pokémon, and his 4-year-old daughter loves the British children’s TV show “Peppa Pig,” so he dedicated a claw machine to her and filled it with characters from the show.
Other machines have Hello Kitty, Pokémon, safari and babydoll plushies.
Ng wants the experience to be fun and uplifting, so he tries to make it easier to win prizes without having to spend tons of money. Staff members frequently fluff the inside of the machines so plushies don’t get buried and cramped.
Customers can trade the plushies they win with prizes at the counter.
A Labubu (a viral, collectible plush toy) costs 15 plushies or can be bought for $45. Pokémon booster packs cost three plushies or $9. Other toys at the counter include dollhouse furniture, keychains, Hot Wheels or LEGO DUPLO sets.
Or customers can trade their won-plushies with credit in the form of a chip. This way, they can come back to the store another day and redeem a prize.
Raegan Nguyen, Ng’s niece and recent LSU Law School graduate, has been hanging out at the shop to show family support. She said the arcade also offers a good spot for gift and holiday shopping, and some counter items are sold below the market price.
“Especially a lot of moms, grandmas and dads have been poking in and going, ‘What’s this?’ and I’m like, ‘Come look around!'” Nguyen said.
Nguyen said the arcade has something for everybody.
“That’s the big thing — being family-friendly,” she said. “Everybody’s going to love it. You got kids all the way up to adults who love to do it. I still love playing claw machines.”
Events and birthday parties
Ng plans to host trading card events every Sunday so that children and Pokémon fans can bring their Pokémon cards for trading. There will also be a pop-up vendor who will bring even more cards, Ng said, and the first Sunday event will be Oct. 19.
Inside, Ng’s wife created a wall of plushies they’ve won from other claw machines, and the wall makes for a great photo background. There’s also a couple shelves of Korean snacks and beverages that are available for purchase.
The space will also be available for booking birthday parties so that children can celebrate at the arcade with their friends.
Pokeclaw, 5355 Government St., Baton Rouge. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.