Pokemon GO players in West Chester have been catching the virtual pocket monsters with the full support of local bars and restaurants since the game’s release, prompting the creation of a dedicated West Chester social media group, writes  Adam Farence for Daily Local News.

After Christopher Riggs, a West Chester University student and local resident, noticed the growing number of players in town, he decided to create a Facebook Pokémon GO group specifically for players in West Chester.

“Groups kept popping up for local areas,” said Riggs. “So I thought it’d be a no-brainer to bring our own community together.”

It did not take long for the group to take off, as nearly 200 people joined in just the first few days and now there are over 500. According to Riggs, the majority are active players who regularly meet up in town to play together.

Some bars in West Chester are using the new craze to bring in extra business by offering happy hours to players and by placing lures to attract Pokemon to nearby PokeStops. These are usually located near landmarks and memorials where players can pick up virtual items to help them in the game.

West Chester Police Department has issued an advisory for Pokemon Go players on Facebook asking them to stay safe and be respectful of their surroundings, accompanied by a screenshot of Pokémon Oddish next to a police officer.

“Everyone is super nice and all different walks of life, but the camaraderie was unlike anything I’ve seen around here before,” said Riggs.

Read more about the league at Daily Local News here.