WHSmith to bring Toys R Us back to the UK high street

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

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. 

Sean Toal, managing director, WHSmith High Street, said: “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 as digital flagship ecommerce website, which features a broad assortment of the best toys and products for families delivering the magic of play for the next generation of Toys R Us kids. 

The first Toys R Us opening will take place on Saturday 10 June at WHSmith Monks Cross Retail Park store in York, with a grand opening event for customers. A further 8 Toys R Us shop-in shops will be opening in Canterbury, Chelmsford, Cheltenham,  Cwmbran, Oxford, Poole, Reading and Solihull throughout the summer.

Toys R Us, which has been a global leader in the toy category, is now owned by WHP Global generates more than$2bn (£1.6bn) in global retail sales annually through 1,350+ stores and e-commerce businesses in 31 countries. 

Simon Cartey, UK commercial director at Toys R Us, Said: “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.”