Chimera Comics Turns Stores Into Pokemon Hunting Ground

A local entrepreneur will be turning his three comic books stores into a Pokemon hunting ground and hopefully sell a few comic books in the process.

Pokemon GO uses your phone’s GPS and camera to turn the real world into a massive hunting ground, allowing players to travel to local landmarks to catch the virtual creatures and battle them against one another.

“The game has had a real interesting impact on businesses in general,” says Carmelo Chimera. “There may be a Pokemon living in your business. Some places have responded by trying to keep players away because they’re a nuisance. Other businesses are making players but stuff.”

On Saturday, Chimera will be laying out lures and incense in the hopes that players will flock to his Chimera Comics stores in LaGrange, Woodridge and Oak Lawn with the opportunity to catch many Pokemon at once.

“We’ve chose to embrace the game,” Chimera said. “My philosophy is that anything that gets customers to our stores is a good thing.”

Less than week old, Pokemon GO has gotten kids and adults outside hunting wild Pokemon in their towns and cities. The augmented reality game has also had some unintended consequences, like people injuring themselves staring at their mobile phones and not paying attention to their surroundings or getting robbed in parking lots.

Chimera was quick to notice how quickly Pokemon GO was turning into an overnight cultural phenomenon within hours of its release last week.

“This is a revolutionary combination of the virtual and physical worlds to create a timely and popular event,” he said.

Throughout the day Saturday at his three stores, Chimera Comics will be offering a 2-for-1 deal on graphic novels. The first 25 Pokemon hunters that show up at each store will receive a Pokeball with a prize inside.

The Pokemon hunt will be going on Saturday, July 16, at the following Chimera Comics locations:

1001 W. 75th Street Suite 163, Woodridge
11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

4915 W. 95th St.
11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

19 S. LaGrange Road, LaGrange
11 a.m. to 8 p.m.