Toys "R" Us set to return to Britain's high streets in time for upcoming summer season

After five years of closure in Britain, Toys "R" Us will return this summer after the company's owner, WHP Global, agreed to a new partnership with retailer, WHSmith, for nine branded concessions to be located in WHSmith stores across the nation.

Toys "R" Us disappeared from British high streets and shopping centres back in 2018 due to struggling with online competition and eventually fell into administration.

Toys "R" Us had become a staple in kids' culture as at one point the retailer had 105 stores located across the country. The decision the company made five years ago with closing down all its stores in Britain was a downhearted moment for many as people had strong nostalgia for Toys "R" Us from growing up buying toys there.

Whilst this is a return to physical stores in Britain, Toys "R" Us actually made its return to Britain's shoppers at the tail end of last year as an online store was launched to gear up for the Christmas rush.

UK Commercial Director at Toys "R" Us, Simon Cartey, excitedly spoke on the partnership with WHSmith and what shoppers can expect. He pronounced: "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."

Cartey further touched on what the partnership with WHSmith can achieve, commenting: "Together, we hope to create a magical and joyful shopping destination for families across the country."

The first of the nine new shop-in-shops in WHSmith stores will open to the public on June 10th at a store in York, located at Monks Cross Retail Park, where customers will be treated to a big opening event.

Eight more concessions will be launched across the summer and will be located in other WHSmith stores such as in Canterbury, on St George Street and on high streets in Chelmsford and Cheltenham. Also, they will be located in stores at the mall in Cwmbran, Cornmarket Street in Oxford, Poole's Towngate Shopping Centre, Broad Street in Reading and Mell Square in Solihull.

Customers lucky to experience the upcoming concessions will be able to shop across some of the biggest toy brands such as Hot Wheels, LEGO, Peppa Pig, Star Wars, Playmobil, Marvel, Paw Patrol, Barbie, Fisher Price, Bluey plus more. As well as being able to purchase from popular brands, there will be interactive experiences, visual elements, demonstration tables and dedicated areas for shoppers of various ages, interests and categories.

Amidst the cost-of-living crisis in Britain, which has seen shoppers have to budget and turn to second-hand shops, Toys "R" Us can bring a slight bit of a feel-good factor to shopping. This is because many who have kids will not be able to splash out on non-essential items and treat them regularly but when they do, it can be with something exciting from Toys "R" Us.

Managing Director for WHSmith, Sean Toal, touched on the new partnership with Toys "R" Us fitting in with the company's ethos. He explained: "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!"

Toal also praised Toys "R" Us and looked ahead to the new concessions opening over the summer at the WHSmith stores. He commented: "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."

Recently, WHSmith had a security scare earlier this year as they were the victim of a cyber-attack which saw a breach in online data. Luckily customers were not affected as the data stored on them was not on the system which was hacked.