The specialist online retailer Booghe has announced plans to open a substantial, immersive and experiential toy store at Birmingham’s The Fort retail park.
An artist’s impression of how the exterior of Booghe’s The Fort location will look.
Booghe, a specialist online toy retailer with eight year’s eCommerce experience and a yearly turnover of £10m, has unveiled its plans to open a flagship physical location this year.
Billed as the ‘UK’s first experiential toy-scape’, the two-storey toy shop will play host to a raft of big name brands, as well as play zones, demo areas, photo and drawing walls, and a dedicated VR/arcade space. Booghe is partnering with Atrio Design and FB Holdings on bringing the store concept to life, with bold colours and uniquely-shaped displays guiding shoppers through the two floors and helping the huge range of toys and games on offer stand out on-shelf.
The Fort retail park, where the store will be located, is one of the UK’s premier out-of-town shopping locations. Attracting approximately 4.8m visitors a year, it offers nearly 2,000 free parking spaces and is home to a raft of destination retail outlets including Primark, River Island, Sports Direct, Poundland, B&M, Boots and more.
“Moving from an online-only presence to a physical store is a strategic decision based on several factors,” explained Booghe director Krishna Yadlapalli, when asked why the retailer has decided to open a physical location. “Firstly, while online retail offers convenience and accessibility, there’s a unique value that physical stores provide in terms of experiential shopping and personal interaction. We believe the time is right to enhance our brand’s presence and engage with our customers on a more personal level. Additionally, establishing a physical store allows us to tap into the foot traffic and visibility, and also enhance our brand recognition and accessibility to a wider audience.”
When asked how Booghe will stand out in the UK’s toy retail landscape, which already plays host to a number of successful toy retail chains and a strong indie scene, Krishna told Toy World that what sets Booghe apart is its commitment to offering not just a wide range of products, but a curated selection that reflects the latest trends, innovative toys and unique brands.
Online, Booghe currently offers household brands such as Little Tikes, Funko, K’Nex, Barbie, Fisher-Price, Heroes of Goo Jit Zu, Top Trumps and Yu-Gi-Oh! as well as licensed toys based on properties including Gabby’s Dollhouse, Super Mario, Star Wars, Stranger Things, Spider-Man, Peppa Pig, Minecraft, One Piece and Harry Potter. Krishna says most of the suppliers to Booghe’s eCommerce site are committed to supplying the new physical store, though negotiations with some are ongoing. He said: “Our goal is to offer our customers a comprehensive selection of high-quality products from trusted brands, and we’re dedicated to securing those partnerships to fulfil that promise.”
The flagship Birmingham store is slated to be the first of a number of new Booghe locations, with the retailer planning to open a new store every 6-12 months, focusing first on the West Midlands.
In closing, Krishna added: “I believe in creation, not competition. We are not doing this to take the market share from someone else – our main objective is to do this project to see the smile on every kid that walks out from the Booghe door.”
Readers interested in finding out more about the new Booghe store, or becoming a supplier, can contact Krishna by emailing krishna@booghe.com or calling 0333 344 6474.
