NEWS

WHSmith set to bring Toys R Us back to the high street for UK shoppers this summer

Published on: 1st June 2023

In a new retail partnership, WHSmith and Toys R Us announce the opening of Toys R Us shop-in-shops in nine WHSmith High Street stores including York, Oxford, Reading and Cheltenham. 

Toys R Us UK

WHSmith and Toys R Us ANZ Limited have announced the locations of nine WHSmith High Street stores which will be unveiling new Toys R Us shop-in-shops from this month, bringing the children’s toy brand back to the UK high street.

The retailer promises that the magic of Toys R Us will come to life in WHSmith with branded shop-in-shops rolling out in nine high street locations across the UK. Customers visiting these stores will be welcomed by a life-size Geoffrey the Giraffe 3D sculpture perfect for a family photo opportunity, before discovering and playing across dedicated sections by age, interest and category, with interactive experiences, demonstration tables and iconic visual elements throughout. Each Toys R Us shop-in-shop will feature a key range of products and activities from top toy brands including Barbie, Bluey, Fisher Price, Hot Wheels, Lego, Marvel, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Playmobil, Star Wars and more.

Sean Toal, managing director, WHSmith High Street, commented: “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. The brand has long been known for its exceptional range of toys and games and complements our existing offer well. Across each of the nine locations, we have a great team of colleagues who look forward to welcoming many new and existing customers over the coming weeks and showcasing the new store layout and, not forgetting, Geoffrey the Giraffe.”

The new retail partnership follows last year’s successful launch of Toys R Us UK’s digital flagship ecommerce website www.toysrus.co.uk, which features a broad assortment of toys and products for families, delivering the magic of play for the next generation of Toys R Us kids.

Simon Cartey, UK commercial director at Toys R Us, added: “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. 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. Together, we hope to create a magical and joyful shopping destination for families across the country.”

The first Toys R Us opening will take place on Saturday 10th June at WHSmith Monks Cross Retail Park store in York, with a grand opening event for customers. A further eight Toys R Us shop-in-shops will be opening in the following WHSmith High Street stores throughout the summer:

  • Canterbury (St George Street)
  • Chelmsford (High Street)
  • Cheltenham (High Street)
  • Cwmbran (The Mall)
  • Oxford (Cornmarket Street)
  • Poole (Towngate Shopping Centre)
  • Reading (Broad Street)
  • Solihull (Mell Square)

The Toys R Us brand, which is now owned by WHP Global, generates more than USD$2b in global retail sales annually through 1,350+ stores and eCommerce businesses in 31 countries.

For more information about the launches and grand opening events, visit www.toysrus.co.uk/storefinder.html or follow WHSmith on Instagram and Toys R Us UK on Instagram and Facebook.

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