The Bambola hobby store extends the Jersey retailer’s appeal with a wide range including jigsaws, slot cars and collectible figures.

A new hobby toy shop opened by Bambola Toymaster in St Helier, Jersey is proving to be a roaring success according to its owner John Testori.

The store opened three weeks ago and is next door to Bambola’s core toy shop in Don Street, which has been open for 18 years. The move comes as Bambola recently ceased trading in another store in The Parade, which had been open for 61 years.

“The new opening has worked very well, and though we are just into week three, we have had great customer feedback,” John told Toy World. “We wanted to make use of both the units in the building which we own, but we didn’t need two toy shops next to each other, so it made sense to go more into the hobby side on the second one. Since Covid, we have had an older, more adult, customer base and this has continued growing.”

He added: “They are two very different shops. The existing one is our core toy shop catering for younger children, whereas the new one is more of a hobby shop, aimed at older children and adults.”

The new shop is dual aspect, being on the corner of Don Street and Waterloo Street, and John says this has been great for footfall. “Whereas The Parade store was on the outskirts of town, our shops in Don Street are now far more central, and the new one is on a very busy corner of probably one of the busiest streets in St Helier.”

The new shop has given Bambola an extra 900sq ft on the site and is stocked with a wide variety of hobby-based products including jigsaws ranging from 500pc up to 4,000pc, from suppliers such as Ravensburger and Gibsons, to collectible figures from Banpresto and slots cars from Scalextric and Carrera.

While some customers have been lamenting the closure of The Parade store after such a long time, John says their diappointment has been offset by the positive reaction to the new shop. “Customers are very impressed with the product offering and the modern and bright appeal of the new store,” he added. “We are extremely happy with trading so far and very much looking forward to a good Christmas trading period.”