Retail Week can exclusively unveil the first 17 locations for a new wave of Toys R Us shop-in-shops in WHSmith branches.
WHSmith’s high street division is about to embark on a new phase of openings following the initial success of the tie-up.
It intends to open another 30 in total in time for Christmas, adding to the nine shop-in-shops that made their debut last year.
The first 17 new Toys R Us locations are:
- Fosse Park, Leicester
- Guildford, Surrey
- Halifax, West Yorkshire
- Hastings, East Sussex
- Hereford, Herefordshire
- Lancaster, Lancashire
- Maidstone, Kent
- Newton Abbott, Devon
- Richmond, London
- Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
- Salisbury, Wiltshire
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
- Sutton, London
- Taunton, Somerset
- Thurrock, Essex
- Victoria Centre, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
- Woking, Surrey
The first openings will be on May 25 in the WHSmith stores in Fosse Park, Hereford and Royal Leamington Spa.
In an exclusive column for Retail Week, WHSmith high street managing director Sean Toal said: “Not only is this an exceptionally exciting time for our colleagues and customers, but we’re also proud to be bucking the trend by continuing to invest in the UK high street.
“I’m delighted that Toys R Us will be in more WHSmith stores in the future, ensuring our high streets can continue to deliver the magic for future generations.”
Toys R Us shut its stores in the UK in 2018 after falling into administration. It made its return in June last year when WHSmith opened the first shop-in-shop in its York Monks Cross branch.
The expansion of the Toys R Us partnership is part of WHSmith’s focus on disciplined use of space to maximise returns.
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