WHSmith high street managing director Sean Toal writes exclusively for Retail Week on the expansion of its Toys R Us in-store partnership and how it represents the retailer’s commitment to being the ‘hub of the high street’
Nearly one year ago, Toys R Us returned to the UK with a new home at WHSmith.
After a five-year absence, we were very proud to help bring the beloved toy brand back to the UK’s high streets with the launch of nine shop-in-shops inside WHSmith.
Every time I’ve visited these stores since, I have seen firsthand how positively our customers have responded to the new ranges.
Many tell me it feels like a back-to-the-future moment: a brand they had known and loved since the mid-1980s, which is back to deliver the magic to a whole new generation of families.
So, I was very pleased to announce recently that WHSmith would be bringing Toys R Us to even more towns and cities across the UK. We’ve now signed an exclusive agreement to open a further 30 shop-in-shops over the summer months.
“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”
From Hereford to Hastings, today we’ve unveiled the first 17 locations for the new Toys R Us stores in WHSmith.
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.
WHSmith, as many know, was founded more than 230 years ago. Our first store opened in Little Grosvenor Street in London and was soon followed by our first-ever travel retail store at London Euston Station.
Today we’re a global travel retailer operating in more than 32 countries with more than 14,000 colleagues.
Our high street business is made up of over 500 stores and 5,000 colleagues, and we’re in major towns and cities across the country.
We are very proud of our history and the longstanding relationships we have with many of the local communities we serve.
But we never rest on our laurels and we know that in the current environment, retailers must continuously adapt and respond to changing customer dynamics by offering new services, ranges and experiences for customers.
That’s something I believe sets WHSmith apart. Our high street business has been resilient for over two centuries and, in the face of more recent challenges, the team is always searching for new ways to delight our customers.
We constantly challenge ourselves to look at what’s next, and we’re not afraid to embrace change and be bold and back something different.
“Retail has that entrepreneurial spirit and I know that many retailers are doing everything they can to make their stores a success, making the sector a major contributor to the economy and a significant employer along the way”
Our partnership with Toys R Us epitomises that and shows exactly what we are about. We’re known for being the ‘hub of the high street’ by providing customers with a range of great products and services, from books and stationery to Post Office services across 200 locations.
With Toys R Us in a further 30 stores by the end of August, this gives customers even more reasons to shop with us.
Retail has that entrepreneurial spirit and I know that many retailers are doing everything they can to make their stores a success, making the sector a major contributor to the economy and a significant employer along the way.
That’s why 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.
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