Timbering Pines owner and organizing Pokemon Professor for Play! Pokemon League events Levi Pertuset studies his play mat and cards during a casual battle this week. (Photo by Ryan Applegate)
By Ryan Applegate
People’s Defender
Pokémon fans in Adams County now have a reason to cheer. What once required a long drive to Amelia or Portsmouth can now be found just around the corner in West Union.
Levi Pertuset, owner of Timbering Pines, has been officially certified as a Pokémon Professor Organizer, a designation granted by The Pokémon Company International. This certification allows him to host official Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) League events—turning his store into one of the region’s few sanctioned play locations.
“Honestly, this has been a dream for a long time,” Pertuset said. “I’ve loved Pokémon since I was a kid. Now we’re making something official and exciting available right here in West Union.”
Located at 13778 State Route 41, Timbering Pines now offers weekly Play! Pokémon TCG League events every Tuesday from 4 – 7 p.m. The events are open to players of all skill levels and ages—from newcomers to seasoned competitors.
While Pokémon may have started as a childhood fad in the late ‘90s, it’s become clear that the franchise is anything but a passing phase.
“Back in the day, there were people saying Pokémon would disappear in a year or two,” Pertuset said, laughing. “Now here we are 25 years later, and it’s bigger than ever.”
The COVID-19 pandemic played a surprising role in the resurgence of interest. With more time at home, people revisited nostalgic hobbies like collecting cards and playing TCGs. The Pokémon TCG saw explosive growth, with both sealed products and individual cards becoming highly sought-after—often outpacing supply.
“It’s incredibly hard to get sealed product right now,” Pertuset noted. “Even as a store owner working with distributors, we’ve gone weeks without restocks.”
Despite product scarcity, Timbering Pines has seen steady interest from players—many of whom hadn’t touched a Pokémon card in years.
“Some come in saying, ‘Hey, I’m working on completing a master set,’” he said. “Others are just curious and want to learn how to play. It’s a great mix.”
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