Toys"R"Us set to return to UK retail scene
The brick-and-mortar comeback of Toys"R"Us continues.
WHP Global, which acquired the toy retailer in 2021,, has entered into a partnership with UK retailer WHSmith and Toys"R"Us ANZ Limited to open Toys"R"Us shop-in-shops in nine WHSmith “high street” stores across the UK. The first shop will open June 10, at the WHSmith in York, with the additional shops scheduled to open throughout the summer. (See list of locations at end of article.)
The in-store shops will feature a life-size Geoffrey the Giraffe 3D sculpture, interactive experiences, demonstration tables and iconic visual elements throughout, along with dedicated sections by age, interest and category. The assortment will include a full range of products and activities from top toy brands.
"Our new Toys"R"Us shop-in-shops at WHSmith create the perfect home for Toys"R"Us as it returns to the UK high street shopping scene,” stated Simon Cartey, UK commercial director at Toys"R"Us . “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 new retail collaboration follows last year's launch of Toys"R"Us UK's digital flagship e-commerce website. It also comes on the heels of WHP’s partnership with with Mexican retail El Puerto de Liverpool ("Liverpool") to launch the toy brand in Mexico for the first time. Most recently, WHP said it would open the first-ever Toys"R"Us airport location, at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, in partnership with travel retailer Duty Free America.
Toys"R"Us’ newest partner, WHSmith, has more than 1,700 stores worldwide. Its High Street business includes more than 520 stores across the UK.
"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,” said Sean Toal, managing director, WHSmith High Street. “The brand has long been known for its exceptional range of toys and games and complements our existing offer well.”
The additional locations for the Toys"R"Us shop-in-shops at WHSmith include:
Canterbury (St George Street);
Chelmsford (High Street);
Cheltenham (High Street);
Cwmbran (The Mall);
Oxford (Cornmarket Street);
Poole (Towngate Shopping Centre);
Reading (Broad Street);and
Solihull (Mell Square).