Hamleys eyes expansion; opens store in Gurgaon

The UK-based toy store Hamleys is executing its expansion spree and has launched stores at Ambience Mall, Gurgaon and T2 - Mumbai. While the store at T2 Mumbai is fourth in the city, the one at Ambience Mall is brand’s debut in Gurgaon. With these two stores, Hamleys has clocked 17 stores across nine cities in the country. This toy retailer is launching three more stores soon, thus taking total count to 20. The brand has set eyes to mark a presence in the top 25 cities of the country with stores opening in malls only. The toy retailer entered India through an exclusive franchise arrangement with Reliance Lifestyle Holdings Ltd (subsidiary of Reliance Brands) in 2010. The toy market in India is pegged at Rs 4,000 crore with a compounded annual growth rate of 20 per cent, however, organised segment stands at estimated Rs 700-800 crore. While 35 per cent of stock keeping units (SKUs) at Hamleys are own brands, the remaining 65 per cent are non-Hamleys ones. Some of the toys like board games, soft toys (called plush) and sports items are sourced from the country itself.