Retail News - what’s happening on the retail landscape

The Entertainer

debuts in Spain

The Entertainer opened its first branded store in Spain last month. In 2018 the high street toy retailer acquired the Poly chain of 39 toy shops in Spain and has now rebranded the Poly store in the south-east coastal city of Valencia. The store will adopt many of The Entertainer’s UK retail practices such as demonstrations and character meet-andgreets, in line with social distancing guidelines.

Gary Grant, founder and executive chairman of The Entertainer, said: “We have been operating in Spain through our Poly stores since 2018 and heavily investing in the Spanish market, but now is the perfect time for us to introduce The Entertainer to the people of Spain.

“We have spent 40 years perfecting our unique customer experience and are excited to bring this to Spain for families to enjoy. The Entertainer Valencia is a significant landmark for our operations in Spain and we’re excited to develop and grow The Entertainer further across the region over the coming months and years.”

Did you know?

The Entertainer has extended its Quiet Hour to run every day in every one of its 171 stores across the country. The initiative aims to create a calmer environment for autistic people and shoppers who may find the return to the high street a stressful experience. Previously running on Saturdays and during school holidays, Quiet Hour now operates every morning for the first hour of opening. The retailer has been awarded an Autism Friendly Award by the National Autistic Society for its commitment to supporting autistic customers and their families.

John Lewis store revamp

John Lewis & Partners Edinburgh opened its doors to customers on 14 May following a multi-million pound refurbishment.

Billed as a new shopping landmark for the Scottish capital, the branch in St James Quarter boasts a new range of services and experiences. There are several fun interactive areas dotted around the shop to encourage parents to relax while their kids play. These include a tepee, giant soft play cube game, digital coffee table with touch-screen top, and soft-play vegetable patch, plus an interactive Hornby Flying Scotsman model in the toy department,

Tonies pops up in Harrods

Children’s audio player brand tonies hosted a pop-up at London department store Harrods’ fourth floor toy department last month. Open throughout May, the pop-up featured some of the best-selling Tonies from tonies’ collection of more than 100 characters including stories such as The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Stick Man, and Zog. Offering content to entertain and educate children up to 10 years-old, the range also featured Peppa Pig and a selection of Disney classics including the Lion King, the Jungle Book and Toy Story. Accessories were available too, including Tonie-Carriers. With enough space to hold 20 favourite Tonies, these carry cases come in six shades to match the Tonieboxes’ six colourways. Tonies described the pop-up as ‘the perfect day out destination for families and children who have spent months at home during the pandemic’.