If you were walking past Waterstones in the city centre this morning, you might have seen a large queue forming outside hours before opening.
It was not for an exclusive book or famous author, in fact it was for the most popular collectible on the market right now.
You may (or may not) have heard of the current Pokémon craze, as Nintendo's trading card game has become as famous as ever.
Pokémon, short for "Pocket Monsters," is a massive Japanese media franchise featuring over 1,000 unique species of creatures, first beginning as a video game in 1996.
In the 30 years since, its detailed and well-illustrated cards have taken over the market, with Pokémon now selling out everywhere in-store and online.
Collecting cards for sports and games has always been a hobby, but it has become more than just that, as businesses, resellers and "scalpers" are taking advantage of the hot commodity for profit.
One of the latest sets, Phantasmal Flames, had a rare special illustration Charizard that is valued at around £700, at the time of writing. When a pack of cards retails at about £4, there is certainly money to be made.
The most expensive Pokémon card is the Pikachu Illustrator which sold for a record-breaking $16.49 million on February 16, 2026 - this belonged to famous social media influencer Logan Paul.
Today (March 20), fans lined up for a "drop", with an allegedly "quieter queue than usual" forming outside Waterstones on St Peter's Street. Those at the front said they had been waiting patiently since around 7am.
Our reporter Huw Richards spoke with Pokémon fans lining up in the cold to find out why there were doing this.
Father, James, was braving the chill for his children who are "obsessed" with the trading cards.
"Because its the 30th anniversary this year that helps drive demand, they are very good at doing what they do, creating a lot of hype and a lot of buzz around the product," he began.
James introduced the word "scalping" as previously mentioned. This is a slang term for resellers hoping to make a quick buck.
He said the majority of the community frown upon this and it has led to many stores limiting stock to just one item per person.
He continued: "You have a lot of people that join the queues to get the cards so they can open the packets find the valuable cards and sell them off for profit."
A quick search online leads you to a number of horror stories including robberies of high-value Pokémon cards - a Peterborough seller lost an estimated £100,000.
Footage of customers fighting over stock outside bigger retailers has also emerged on social media, however Waterstones was very orderly.
Perhaps a compliment to the St Albans clientele, the toy-buying process was oddly formal and easy (how it should be) with an "eclectic mix" of around 30-40 people coming to buy the product seen below:
Like many others, James then joined a queue outside The Entertainer which is another Pokémon hotspot.
Another father, Jake, was there with his young daughter. Unlike James however, he was here to boost his personal collection after becoming "addicted" during a trip to Japan.
Jake said: "I went to Japan and got the bug for it. I used to collect them when I was a kid but I hadn't for 20 years or so until now.
"It's very limited, I can't believe it when I come down. I just like to open the packs and keep the cards in my binder."
When asked about those sceptical of it being a hobby for children, he said: "It seems to span the generations. The nostalgia is a big part."
On this occasion, James and Jake bought their packs - as did many other customers. Others who went to spots like TG Jones and Rymans were not so lucky, with product selling out minutes after opening.
Upon returning to Waterstones at 9.10am all its Pokémon stock had already been sold.
Are you interested in Pokémon or have a Pokémon business in the surrounding area? Please get in touch with huw.richards@newsquest.co.uk
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