The Entertainer has announced it will open a new store at Trafford Centre in September, marking the return of a full-range toy shop to the mall for the first time since Hamleys closed in 2018.
New store details
The store, located on Upper Regent Crescent, is expected to rival the chain's flagship at Bluewater in Kent for top sales among its 150-plus shops. It will bring a wide range of best-loved brands and regular new releases, including toys from Lego, Mattel, Hasbro and Zuru.
The Entertainer also promises 'must-have craze toys like Squishies, Needoh and KPop Demon Hunters', plus collectibles from Pokémon, One Piece, Panini & Topps Trading Cards, Stranger Things & Five Nights at Freddie's, and its own-label ranges including Early Learning Centre, Meccano and Yummy Buddies.
Expansion and impact
This is The Entertainer's eighth opening in the last 12 months, following new Toys for Less outlets at The Galleria in Hatfield and Frasers Plus Designer Outlet in Leeds, and the reopening of an expanded Brighton Churchill Square store.
Trafford Centre welcomes around 23 million visitors each year, with intense competition for space among top high street names.
Andrew Murphy OBE, group chief executive officer of The Entertainer, said: “Announcing that, this September, we’ll be joining the brilliant line-up of top-flight retailers at Trafford Centre is the undoubted highlight of an already exciting year of store openings for us. The toy category is underrepresented in the centre, with customer research showing high demand for our offer.”
He added: “We’ve been patiently waiting for almost a decade for the right space to become available, so we’re particularly excited to share this news. With over 3,000 different toys, games and collectibles we'll bring an entirely new level of choice and quality to this iconic shopping location, giving the tens of thousands of families who love shopping there the exciting range of gifts and treats they deserve.”
Simon Layton, centre director at Trafford Centre, said: “The Entertainer is a fantastic brand for our family audience, and we're delighted to be welcoming them to Trafford Centre. Families are at the heart of our visitor community, and the arrival of one of the UK's best-loved toy retailers will give parents, grandparents and children even more reasons to spend quality time together here.”
He added: “With an exciting range of toys, games and collectibles for all ages, The Entertainer will be a brilliant addition to our line-up and is sure to become a must-visit destination for families from across the region.”
