Retail

LEGO has opened its first retail destination – and an online platform – in Saudi Arabia; a new 157sqm store housed in the Red Sea Mall in Jeddah. The store will be operated by the local franchisee, Kamal Osman Jamjoom Group. The new site will feature the latest launches and …

Independent retailers and hobby stores are celebrating a ‘rare win’ over Games Workshop who spent an embattled week at the outrage of a community who believed themselves “to be overlooked” by the British miniatures brand and its latest big box Warhammer launch, in favour of the online discounters and its …

The independent UK toy brand, JUNKO, has secured an exclusive launch in the USA with the Uncommon Goods web store. The launch is the result of a meeting of minds between the brand creator and the web store at this year’s Spielwarenmesse. The move marks JUNKO’s first step into the …

Miles Penhallow, the head of toys and children’s gift at Play-Room AIS, is taking early retirement at the end of September this year following a successful 12 year tenure with the UK buying group. In a statement issued to ToyNews, Penhallow said he will be taking his leave of the …

Wearing a face covering in shops and supermarkets in England is to become mandatory from 24 July, with those who fail to comply set to face a fine of up to £100. The move will bring England in line with Scotland and countries across Europe, including Spain, Italy, and Germany. …

The Toy Centre is a family-run online retailer that believes in the power of traditional toys. When lockdown first hit the UK, it was a belief system that paid dividends; a combination of the hot spell that baked the country and the closure of schools across the UK, drove sales …

The UK retailer, Boots is to cut 4,000 jobs, its parent company Walgreen Boots Alliance has announced, having been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown measures. The company said it will cut around seven per cent of its UK workforce. According to Walgreens, sales at Boots have plunged …

John Lewis is to permanently close eight of its 50 stores, the retailer has detailed this morning, in a move that will include major outlets in Birmingham and Watford. It’s been reported that the closure will result in the loss of around 1,300 jobs. All four of the group’s smaller …

The UK’s family owned high street toy retailer, The Entertainer has partnered with Riverside Brands to lead its brand extension strategy for Early Learning Centre. Under the new partnership, both the Happyland and core ELC brand will look to build out wider brand extensions into categories such as apparel, nightwear, …

Footfall in towns and cities across England has surged by more than a third compared to the previous week, a result of what has been dubbed as ‘Super Saturday’ and the opening of pubs, restaurants, and bars, according to the latest data from Springboard. Retailers have recorded an increase in …