Toys R Us Shops Coming to WHSmith in UK
WHP Global, the parent company of Toys R Us, has formed a partnership between British retailer WHSmith and Toys R Us ANZ Ltd. to open Toys R Us shop inside nine WHSmith “high street” stores across the U.K.
The first branded shop is slated to open June 10 inside a WHSmith in York, England.
The participating stores will feature a life-size 3D sculpture of the Toys R Us’ iconic Geoffrey the Giraffe advertising character, demonstration tables, unique visual elements and other interactive experiences.
Each Toys R Us shop will feature a range of products and activities from top toys brands including Barbie, Bluey, Fisher Price, Hot Wheels, LEGO, Marvel, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Playmobil and Star Wars. The shops will also include dedicated sections differentiated by age, interest and category
"At WHSmith, we're always exploring new opportunities to launch exciting, new product ranges to our customers on the high street, and our partnership with Toys R Us certainly does this,” Sean Toal, managing director, WHSmith High Street, said in a media release. “The brand has long been known for its exceptional range of toys and games and complements our existing offerings well."
This partnership follows last year's successful launch of Toys R Us UK's digital flagship e-commerce website (toysrus.co.uk), which features a broad assortment of toys and products.
"Our new Toys R Us shop-in-shops at WHSmith create the perfect home for Toys R Us as it returns to the U.K. high street shopping scene,” Simon Cartey, U.K. commercial director at Toys R Us added. “With this collaboration, we are not only bringing back the beloved Toys R Us experience, but also providing convenient access to a wide range of toys and games.”
The other eight Toys R Us shops will open throughout the summer in the following WHSmith High Street stores:
- Canterbury (St George Street)
- Chelmsford (High Street)
- Cheltenham (High Street)
- Cwmbran (The Mall)
- Oxford (Cornmarket Street)
- Poole (Towngate Shopping Centre)
- Reading (Broad Street)
- Solihull (Mell Square)
