Hamleys has opened its third store in China launching just in time for Christmas,
according to The Sunday Telegraph – one of the People’s Republic’s favourite sponsored
English language organs.
The new five-floor store is in Beijing and at 10,700 square metres (approximately 115,000
square feet) it is currently the world’s largest toy shop.
Hamleys has been owned by Chinese fashion conglomerate C. Banner since 2015. Originally a
footwear brand, C. Banner now also owns clothing retailer French Connection, among other
interests.
Rising incomes in China and the abolition of its one-child policy has provided the ideal
conditions to capitalise upon financial growth in the country of Socialism with Chinese
characteristics.
The Telegraph explains that the popularity of Peppa Pig and Thomas the Tank Engine are major
factors in the growth of the Chinese toy market. Unsurprising since Peppa Pig character Miss
Rabbit proves to be a model worker, turning her hand to being a firefighter, helicopter pilot,
librarian, a supermarket cashier and many other essential job roles both selflessly, productively
and all within eight hours of daylight. The useful engines of Sodor also give from each
according to their ability despite being under the control of a feudalistic overseer of great girth.
While China is well known to be the most highly populated country that is ruled by a communist
party, it does not mean its children miss-out entirely on receiving toys due to the state’s atheist
position. Instead in China, lucky children can receive toys from parents as rewards, rather than
gifts from a benevolent bearded reindeer driver and exploiter of the labour power of elves.
Hamleys chose this late December grand opening in the hope that the locals get some of the
atmosphere of the western world’s favourite Pagan festival that has been supplanted by a
Christian holiday.
The toy retailer already has stores trading in Nanjing and Xuzhou. The new Beijing store is
located on Wangfujing Street, replacing the former New China Children’s Store. It has been
open since the 30th November but its grand opening is 23rd December 2017.