Borders expands toys and games in their stores
ANN ARBOR, Mich. Borders has greatly expanded its toy and game offerings in its more than 500 superstores nationwide to include products from leading brands such as Melissa & Doug, Creativity for Kids, LEGO Systems, Playmobil, Scientific Explorer, Chicco, Battat, Blue Orange Games, ALEX and many others. The company is staffing the children's department with a dedicated kids' specialist, who can answer questions and make toy, game and book recommendations.
Borders continues to offer a wide selection of children's books, and to highlight its rich picture book offerings, the retailer has created a picture book feature wall to make shopping easier for parents. Borders has moved books for Independent Readers - kids ages 8 through 12 - and placed them in their own section adjacent to the children's department. The move provides even more space for kids to discover books, toys and games as well as enjoy the many kids-focused events Borders stores host each year.
The company is in the process of rolling out Borders Ink Teen Shops - special boutique-like sections within most Borders superstores that feature Young Adult as well as Graphic Novel and Manga titles along with a number of other trendy products that complement the book offerings. Borders is also dialoging with teens about books and other topics via its Borders Ink Facebook page, which complements the Borders Ink Teen Shops.
"We want to guide our customers through our stores from the early stages of their lives up through adulthood, enriching their experiences every step of the way through books and other products," said Kathryn Popoff, VP books and merchandising for Borders. "It all begins in our Children's Department with a great assortment of educational toys and games that help kids develop the skills they need to become great readers. As kids grow and their interests expand, we progress them into our Independent Reader section and then into our Borders Ink Teen Shops. When they become adults, we provide them with great genre fiction titles, biographies and books from other categories. As a retailer it's very gratifying to be able to offer our customers products that inform, educate and entertain throughout their lives."