Tag Archives: toy shop

Toys R Us is planning a major return to the US in Macy’s shop in shop partnership

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Toys R Us is preparing for its latest reincarnation, this time through a major new partnership to launch shop within shop concessions in more than 400 Macy’s stores across the United States.

Revealed earlier this week, Macy’s Inc has teamed up with WHP Global to bring the Macy’s and Toys R Us brands together, delivering an expansive assortment of toys and games both online via macys.com/toysrus as well as in Macy’s more than 400 stores across America.

The shop within shop Toys R Us concept will roll out nationwide in 2022.

“As a Toys”R”Us kid, I could not be more excited to bring this beloved brand that so many of our customers know and love into Macy’s online and to our stores across America,” said Nata Dvir, Macy’s chief merchandising officer.

“Our toy business grew exponentially in the past year, with many families looking to inspire their children’s imagination and create meaningful moments together. Toys”R”Us is a globally recognized leader in children’s toys and our partnership allows Macy’s to significantly expand our footprint in that category, while creating more occasions for customers to shop with us across their lifestyles.”

The Toys”R”Us experience at macys.com/toysrus lets shoppers search for products by age, toy type, character and brand. From perennial favorite toy cars and dolls to STEM-inspired products for creative learners, Macy’s expanded assortment of the most popular items, including products that highlight inclusivity, discovery and learning, will offer something for every parent and child.

Powered by Macy’s, ToysRUs.com will look to serve as the dedicated authority for all things toys and play, with immersive content that aims to connect consumers to the toy offering at macys.com.

Within Toys“R”Us shop-in-shops rolling out to more than 400 Macy’s stores nationwide in 2022, customers will be welcomed by Geoffrey the Giraffe before discovering and playing across dedicated sections by age, interest and category, with interactive experiences, activation centers and iconic elements throughout.

Yehuda Shmidman, chairman and CEO of WHP Global and Toys“R”Us, commented: “Our partnership with Macy’s marks the greatly anticipated return of Toys”R”Us in the USA, and changes the retail landscape by combining two beloved retail brands together for consumers across the nation in a completely innovative way. We’re thrilled to be launching this new partnership together with Macy’s.”

Founded by Charles Lazarus, Toys”R”Us became one of the world’s best loved toy stores and a globally recognised household name in the toy category. Today, Toys”R”Us has a vibrant business that generates more than $2 billion in global retail sales annually through nearly 900 branded global stores outside the US and e-commerce businesses in more than 25 countries.

Toy shop The Entertainer raises £650,000 for Bristol Children’s Hospital charity The Grand Appeal

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The family-owned toy retailer, The Entertainer has raised an impressive £650,000 for the dedicated charity of the Bristol Children’s Hospital, The Grand Appeal, just two weeks after reopening the doors of its high street stores.

The Entertainer has been raising money for the sick children at Bristol Children’s Hospital by simply asking customers to round up their purchases to the nearest pound when shopping in store, by partnering with Pennies, the micro-donation charity.

Despite UK retail sales suffering due to long periods of closure and reduced footfall during the pandemic, the toy chain has raised almost £100,000 for The Grand Appeal in the last year alone, exceeding £650,000 as stores reopened the week before last.

The Entertainer has been raising funds for the charity, after rolling out the Pennies initiative across its stores in the UK in 2011. A total of 17 of the stores across the South West, from Cornwall up to Wiltshire raise funds for The Grand Appeal.

The donations support the charity’s contribution to specialist treatment for sick babies, children and young adults from across the South West and aid the development of facilities that ensure Bristol Children’s Hospital remains at the forefront of children’s healthcare.

Pennies runs the “digital charity box”, the digital upgrade of the traditional charity tin, designed to fit with our increasingly cashless lifestyles.

In 2018, The Entertainer upgraded the technology to enable customers to donate via contactless payments with Pennies, this introduction has seen customer generosity significantly increase with £400,000 being raised in less than three years.

Karen Emery, area manager for The Entertainer in the South West, said: “We are delighted to announce that we have raised over £650,000 for our partners at The Grand Appeal. Despite reduced opening hours over the last year, its simply incredible to witness the continued generosity of our customers, who are willing to go the extra mile to support an amazing cause, even in such uncertain times.

“Many of our customers and staff have personal experience of using the hospital services and have seen first-hand the difference it makes. Thank you to all our customers in the South West for helping us to support The Grand Appeal.”

Alison Hutchinson CBE, Pennies CEO, added: “The fantastic news is The Entertainer has opened its doors to customers again, following the April 12th lockdown easing. We know they’ve been getting back to what they do best – providing a wonderful and welcoming experience to customers – and enabling them to get back to giving right away.

“Congratulations to The Entertainer and The Grand Appeal on this milestone, and a huge thank you to customers in Bristol and across the South West for their generosity.”

Helen Haskell, corporate partnerships manager at The Grand Appeal, said: “Our partners at The Entertainer and their incredibly generous customers have reached an astonishing milestone, which our team are extremely grateful for. Over the last year, fundraising has been especially challenging due to the pandemic and its thanks to supporters, like The Entertainer, that we have been able to continue to provide the vital services for sick children and their families when they need it most. Every penny truly does make a difference.”

As the Bristol Children’s Hospital charity, The Grand Appeal funds ground-breaking medical equipment, three family accommodation houses, 20 specialist support staff and a programme of art, music and play in partnership with the hospital and its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital.

Hamleys expansion and investment ‘will be significant and worthy of a 260 year old brand’

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Hamleys is pushing forward with expansion plans for its 260 year old toy selling business which includes a refurbishment of its iconic London store on Regent Street and the potential to open new stores across the UK.

The toy retailer’s current owner Reliance Brands has underlined its plans to for ‘significant investment’ in the Hamleys name, stating that the expansion is a ‘sign of confidence in the brand and strategy’, rather than a ‘foolhardy ambition.’

The plans arrive at an interesting time for the high street, which has been hit by the pandemic and the surge in online shopping that the UK’s lockdown measures have facilitated in recent months. Recent months and weeks have seen numerous British retailers implement job cuts and store closures, citing the coronavirus as the cause of the decline.

However, Summit Yadav, CEO of Reliance Brands told Bloomberg that while ‘it has been quite an eventful journey,’ it would not be holding back making long-term investments. Yadav has declined to say just how much money is being invested in the expansion, but described the sum as ‘significant and worthy of a brand that is nearly 260 years old.’

“The Hamleys experience cannot be diluted,” he said.

Reliance, owned by the richest man in India, Mukesh Ambani, bought the 259-year-old toy retailer from Chinese footwear group C.banner International for £68m.

During the acquisition, Reliance said the transaction would “catapult Reliance Brands to be a dominant player in the global toy retail industry”.

The Entertainer expands international operations with first store in the Far East

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Multi-platform toy shop, The Entertainer is growing its international footprint once more, this time with the launch of its first outlet in the Far East. In partnership with Kim Jin Joo Bhd, the retailer has set foot down in Malaysia’s own Sunway Pyramid.

This is the latest move to cement the ongoing expansion for the UK’s largest chain of toy stores. The Malaysian group has said that this maiden store will be joined by two other outlets by the end of this year.

Group chairman Pang Kim Hin said the opening of the outlet marks a new milestone for the company as part of its strategy to diversify into the toys sector and complement its existing maternity and baby product retail business.

“We are of the view that the introduction of The Entertainer outlets in Malaysia will contribute to an increase of sales over the coming two to three years as it fulfills a niche for toys catering to children of toddler age up to 12 years old,” he said in a statement today.

Previously, Kim Hin Joo’s existing market reach and product offerings was mainly catered to children up to six years of age, but with the outlet chain it is able to widen its retail offerings to include older children, particularly those in the six to 12 years age bracket.

In regards to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the group is also taking measures to ensure that its business will remain sustainable as well as the necessary steps to mitigate the impact from the outbreak.

Pang said that no one could predict the pandemic’s impact on the retail industry, especially for businesses that have primarily brick-and-mortar presence.

“However, we foresee a recovery in our sales in our retail outlets in line with the reopening of shopping malls operating at regular hours, and a gradual increase of foot traffic in shopping malls over the coming months,” he said.