Gamers were on the hunt for Pokemon in Middletown, Saturday.
What may seem like child’s play is also bonding families.
Natasha LaCroix, of Middletown, hasn't been playing Pokemon Go for very long. Curiosity caused her to download the game’s app onto her phone in the first place.
"My neighbors were like walking down the street, the whole family. I stopped them and said, ‘oh look at you guys all walking down the street as a family.’ They said, ‘no we’re just catching Pokemon," LaCroix recalled.
It’s a family affair for LaCroix, too, but not with who you might think.
"I’m a grandma and I have 11 grandchildren so what am I doing," joked LaCroix’s mother, Cynthia Daniels.
She says she’s caught Pokemon Go fever, too.
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"Every time we get in the car we turn it on," said Daniels.
While Daniels admitted the game is addicting, Natasha said she’s able to work it into her normal routine. However, there was that one time the mother-daughter pair was supposed to go to the store and got distracted by the game, coming home empty-handed.
"Everybody was asking, 'where’s our stuff?' We didn’t even admit the fact that we were playing Pokemon," laughed LaCroix.
They searched Wild Bills Nostalgia in Middletown on Saturday for the ever elusive Pokemon characters. Bill Ziegler said his business has become a hot spot for Pokifolks.
"We didn’t chose them. They chose us. All of a sudden people are coming in and saying, 'hey you have four Poke stops here,'" he explained.
The antique toy collector doesn’t get what the fuss is about, but if it gives him another reason to open his cash register, he’s all for it. While young players hunt for Pokemon, there’s mothers and fathers relive their childhoods inside his store. There’s also new toys and collectables available for purchase.
"You don’t know how many times I’ve heard ‘I had that when I was young, I had that," said Ziegler.
"It’s great because people get together and are nice to each other," said 12-year-old Stephen of Deep River, who’s aunt brought him to search for Pokemon. He also went home with a toy from Wild Bill’s shop.
