Labubu-led Pop Mart Plans 20+ US Simon Stores, Boosts Shares

Pop Mart extended a stock rally after unveiling plans to open more than 20 Labubu-branded stores across the United States in 2026 through a partnership with mall operator Simon Property Group. The move pushes one of the hobby’s biggest blind-box brands into major U.S. shopping centers and matters to collectors and investors alike because it increases physical access to Labubu drops while supporting Pop Mart’s international revenue push.

The planned rollout will place stores in well-known Simon malls, including King of Prussia, Sawgrass Mills, and The Westchester, with more locations to be announced as leases and build-outs progress. Pop Mart’s shares registered an intraday jump following the expansion news and a recently announced share buyback program, a combination that traders interpreted as a signal of confidence from management and a concrete plan to grow overseas sales.

Pop Mart has faced softness and regulatory scrutiny in its domestic market, and the company framed U.S. expansion as a counterweight to those headwinds. The new Simon stores will directly support revenue growth in the Americas by moving product out of logistics and e-commerce channels and into stores where collectors can touch, trade, and buy Labubu variants in person. For the collector community, that means reduced shipping costs for U.S. buyers, quicker access to new releases, and a higher chance of in-store exclusives and event drops that often drive secondary-market activity.

Brick-and-mortar retail still plays a key role for vinyl toy culture. Physical stores create moments - launch queues, designer signings, and trading meetups - that online sales do not replicate. Pop Mart’s partnership with Simon suggests a standardized retail footprint across major regional malls, which could make Labubu runs easier to follow for collectors tracking releases and exclusives. Secondary market prices for some items could moderate if supply increases, while truly limited releases will likely retain or grow in collector premium.

Operationally, opening more than 20 stores in a single year requires lease negotiations, build-outs, staffing, and inventory allocation. Pop Mart will need to balance flagship and smaller-format locations to match local demand and mall traffic patterns. For investors, the share buyback program paired with rapid U.S. expansion signals a two-track strategy: shore up shareholder value while chasing growth abroad.

For Labubu collectors, the practical takeaway is simple - expect more in-person purchase opportunities in 2026 and monitor announcements from Pop Mart and local Simon malls for opening dates and launch events. For investors, watch how new U.S. stores and the buyback program translate into quarterly revenue and traffic metrics as the rollout proceeds.