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Remember that Pokémon-themed pop-up, PokéBar, headed to Tavernpointe in Midtown on Saturday, October 26? It’s canceled.
The pop-up’s organizers apparently did not seek or secure permission from Nintendo to use the Pokémon branding for the event, the Denver Post and Eater Montreal report.
All PokéBars scheduled between now and May 2020 around the country and the world, including in Atlanta, New York, Austin, Miami, Cleveland, Denver, London, and Dublin, are being rescheduled and rebranded to “the Monster Burger Bar Brunch”.
“Despite being unaffiliated with Pokémon Nintendo, the event organizers unfortunately had been given no other option but to change the name of the event and a number of elements, including the date. We are currently in the process of rebranding and relaunching in Atlanta,” Terry Adams of Hyper Public Relations tells Eater Atlanta in an email.
Atlanta ticket holders were informed of the cancelation via event management and ticketing site Eventbrite on Friday, September 27. People were given the option to either receive a full refund or transfer their ticket to the rebranded Monster Brunch, now taking place in early February. Adams says Tavernpointe was also informed of the canceled pop-up.
Eater Atlanta reached out to Tavernpointe to confirm this information, as nothing about the pop-up or the cancelation is posted to the restaurant’s website or on social media.
Adams also tells Eater “the original organizer” of PokéBar was Wonderland Events and that Australia-based Viral Ventures “were not the organizers of the Pokebar but rather a promoter of the event” who have “since ended their involvement” with the pop-up. Adams says to direct any further questions to the organizer of PokéBar/Monster Brunch, Steven Louis via a Wonderland Events email address.
The now rebranded PokéBar website, www.themonsterbrunch.com, features this extremely tiny disclaimer at the bottom of the landing page:
“© 2019 MONSTER BURGER BAR
We are not associated with Nintendo® or any other brand.
We are an immerisve burger pop up bar
Wonderland Events”
The Denver Post reported last week that PokéBar was “originally produced by” Viral Ventures. Adams told the paper “Wonderland approached Viral Ventures to help promote the event.”
Viral Ventures landed itself in similar licensing hot water last year over a Lego-themed pop-up called Legobar. It rebranded to Thebricksbar.
Eater Atlanta reached out to Wonderland Events and Viral Ventures for comment and clarification.
People still interested in attending the rebranded monster-themed burger bar and trivia brunch pop-up in Atlanta can sign up for more information on the event’s website.
