Michael Izzo

@MIzzoDR

From Pidgeys in libraries to Zubats in breweries, Pokémon are invading landmarks all over Morris County and the surrounding area, and some of those hotspots are looking to take advantage of the welcome foot traffic.

The "Pokémon Go" augmented reality game has been taking the country by storm since the free smartphone app debuted last week, generating millions in daily revenue and climbing to the top of charts with more than 7.5 million U.S. downloads in the first six days.

In the game, users are encouraged to trek to Pokéstops – real-life destinations that reward players with game items for checking in at the location – and as a result, landmarks like churches, municipal buildings and parks are filled with teens and millennials burying their heads in their phones.

One such location is the Parsippany Public Library on Halsey Road.

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While there have been complaints of loitering at some of the more popular Pokéstops, senior library consultant Jean Embler said she expects the attention will drive traffic to the library.

“I’m very optimistic that people will come to the library (to play the game) and then use the library’s resources,” Embler said. “We have a wonderful teen section, and our summer reading program has some absolutely marvelous prizes.”

Embler said in addition to books, there are plenty of movies, TV shows and video games available for check out as "Pokémon Go" players wait between check-ins.

Tuesday afternoon, Suraj Mourya, 16, of Parsippany was walking into the library to begin his volunteer shift and made sure to check into the spot on "Pokémon Go" as he entered.

Mourya said he’s been playing or the past four days, and that it can become addictive when playing with friends.

“It can get out of hand sometimes when all of your friends are trying to catch the same Pokémon,” Mourya said. “The other night at 12 a.m. we spent two hours trying to catch a Pokémon around Lake Parsippany.”

While not every location is a Pokéstop, that isn’t stopping some business owners from getting creative to take advantage of the fad.

Joe Fisher, owner of Man Skirt Brewing in Hackettstown, said he plans to use the game to his advantage after watching customers catch Pokémon in his tasting room over the weekend.

“I’m actually thinking about using it as a marketing tool,” Fisher said. “Buying some in-game items that increase the appearance of Pokémon and advertising the times I’ll be using them.”

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com