Charlton Athletic FC set to launch pop-up store at Bluewater following Championship promotion

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Bluewater has announced that Charlton Athletic Football Club will be launching its first-ever pop-up store at the retail and leisure destination this summer.

The news follows Charlton’s recent promotion to the EFL Championship, marking a major milestone for the South London club. The store will give fans the first opportunity to shop the brand new 2025/26 Reebok home and away kits, along with a full range of official merchandise, training wear and accessories.

The club and the shopping centre have been working even more closely since Charlton’s manager, Nathan Jones, jokingly banned his players from visiting Bluewater during their promotion push to avoid distractions. In response, Bluewater shared a tongue-in-cheek social media post*, showing its security team scouring the shopping centre looking for players.

The video quickly gained traction with over a million organic social media views, with engagements from Charlton players and pundits, alongside a feature in BBC’s 72+ : The EFL Podcast Football Daily.

The viral content led to club and centre exploring further collaborations which has since included match day programme features and pitch-side ads, culminating with today’s announcement.

Now, with promotion secured, Bluewater is set to welcome the Addicks and their supporters into the 1,100 sqft unit located on the Upper Rose Gallery, next to Starbucks – it is expected to open later this month.

James Waugh, Centre Director at Bluewater, commented: “We’re incredibly excited to be working with Charlton Athletic to bring their first-ever pop-up retail store to Bluewater. The club’s promotion has been a brilliant achievement, and we’re delighted to support them with a bricks-and-mortar space that gives fans the chance to celebrate and shop the brand-new kits in person.

“We will be announcing more details on the new Charlton store in due course, with an expected opening date to be shared as soon as possible.”

Charlton Athletic Board member, Ed Warrick, said: “Our promotion to the Championship is a proud moment for everyone connected to Charlton Athletic, and launching our first-ever pop-up store at Bluewater is a fantastic way to celebrate with our supporters. The response from fans, the wider football community, and Bluewater itself has been phenomenal, and this collaboration is a natural next step. We’re thrilled to bring our new Reebok kits and full merchandise range to such a high-profile location.”