Hamleys, Moscow

U.K. toy retailer Hamleys has opened Europe’s largest toy store, a 73,000-sq.-ft. location close to the Kremlin in Moscow. Designed by Fitch, the two-level space is heavy on interaction and is divided into nine themed areas that combine retail and entertainment.



Each area combines retail and entertainment, with digital and sensory enhancements. Motor City, for example features a Go-Kart track. A full-scale replica of the Star Wars Millennium Falcon (that children can test drive) is the star attraction in Space. The Magic Kingdom area boasts a huge castle in which kids can play and explore, while witches appear to fly through the Enchanted Forest on broomsticks, ducking between tree houses and scaling hidden pathways. Other attractions include a 40-ft.-tall Lego rocket made with 1.9 million bricks.



Hamleys is planning to enter the United States, and is reportedly looking at sites in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, along with airport locations.