Located at Bhartiya Mall near Hebbal, the new Toys“R”Us outlet is spread across 6,200 sq. ft. of retail area
Bengaluru: Retail tech company Ace Turtle has launched the first Toys“R”Us store in Bengaluru, third in India, the company said in a press release on Wednesday. Located at Bhartiya Mall near Hebbal, the new outlet is spread across 6,200 sq. ft. of retail area.
“We are thrilled to bring Toys”R”Us to Bengaluru with the opening of our new store at Bhartiya Mall. The expansive store extends beyond a simple shopping destination; it will serve as a comprehensive recreational space for children and families, offering a wide array of toys that cater to various interests and age groups,” said Nitin Chhabra, chief executive officer of Ace Turtle.
Toys“R”Us currently has two operational stores in the country, which includes the retail store in Hyderabad, which marked the return of the brand to India, and the recently launched 12,000 sq. ft. flagship store in Mumbai, which is India’s largest high-street toy store.
The company is planning to open 12 Toys“R”Us stores in 2024.
“We believe there is tremendous potential for organized toy retailing in India given the fast-growing customer base. The expansion of Toys“R”Us will contribute to the Government of India’s “Make in India” initiative by accelerating toy manufacturing in the country,” added Chhabra.
The store offers a collection of international brands such as Lego, Hasbro, Mattel, alongside Indian brands like Playshifu, Funskool and Winmagic.
“Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru is delighted to welcome the first store of Toys“R”Us in Bengaluru. This iconic brand brings a world-class shopping experience for children and families. We are confident that it will be a favorite destination for children and parents alike,” said Arjun Aggarwal, vice chairman of Bhartiya Urban.
The American toy, clothing and baby product retailer Toys”R”Us was established in 1957. The brand generates more than $2 billion in global retail sales annually through its 1,350 stores and e-commerce businesses in over 30 countries.
Toys“R”Us made its foray into the Indian market in 2017 through Tablez India, a division of Abu Dhabi-based Lulu Group International, for an exclusive master franchise agreement. It launched the global toy brand in India in October 2017 with plans to open 200-plus stores, but only managed to open 14 stores which wound up within three years of operations.
In June 2021, Bengaluru-based Ace Turtle entered into a joint venture with the Flipkart Group’s Wholesale Entity in India to acquire the license of Toys“R”Us and Babies”R”Us in India through a strategic arrangement with WHP Global.
Founded in 2013, Ace Turtle is also the exclusive licensee of global retail brands such as Lee, Wrangler and Dockers for India and other South Asian markets.