Red5 builds presence with Hamleys tie-up

Red5 also plans to open concessions in Hamleys’ Dundrum store, on the outskirts of Dublin, as well as the store at the St Enoch Centre in Glasgow, due to open in October.

Red5 partner Joth Baron said: “Hamleys is a perfect fit for us and our experience so far has been excellent. Hamleys is interested in getting our expertise. It’s bigger than any independent store we have and has given us a real boost as it is the summer holidays.”

Baron added that Red5 wanted to “add an extra element of theatre, akin to the Hamleys ethos” to its offer and has therefore enabled “much more customer interaction” with products.

The Regent Street concession – which carries 400 lines of gifts and gadgets – takes up 1,600 sq ft, dwarfing the 500 sq ft concessions Red5 has in Selfridges.

13-store Red5 has also signed for standalone stores in Basingstoke, Leeds and Dudley, and has extended its lease in Manchester’s Arndale Centre.

Red5 is negotiating on another four stores and is in talks with other multiple retailers, including a department store, about opening more concessions.

The retailer will also launch a gadget range for Boots in four weeks, as part of a trial in about 30 of the chemist’s stores, with a view to rolling it out next year.

“We’ve got some good stuff going on,” said Baron. “Like-for-likes are encouraging and the new store openings are exciting.”

Hamleys, which also has a Game concession in its Regent Street store, has been in talks with Next Directory to sell toys in its Christmas catalogue and online (Retail Week, July 10).

Property agent Harper Dennis Hobbs acted for Red5 on its new store signings.