Hamleys delivers early Christmas present to Naples shoppers with fourth Italian store: Christmas arrives early for shoppers in Naples and the Campania region this year as Hamleys, the world’s finest toy store opens its doors at Torre Annunziata in the brand new MaxiMall Pompeii, the innovative new retail hub set in the shadows of Vesuvius and the historic archaeological site.
This is the fourth Hamleys store in Italy, opened in collaboration with GIOCHI PREZIOSI S.P.A., Italy’s leading toy manufacturer and distributor. Spanning over 750 square meters on a single level, the store brings to life the brand’s signature red-and-white world of immersive fun, magic, and theatre, designed to spark the imaginations of children of all ages. Located in the Campania region, it joins Hamleys’ existing stores in Rome, Milan, and Bergamo, all of which opened earlier this summer.
MaxiMall Pompeii is a 200,000-square-meter shopping, hospitality, leisure, and dining hub near the city of Naples and its famous coastline; it includes 146 stores, with 35 food units, a hotel, a theatre, a movie theatre, a convention hall, and an outdoor amphitheatre, all surrounded by a 50,000-square-meter park that houses “an innovative dancing fountain.”
Upon entering the vibrant new Naples store, customers are greeted by beloved Hamleys characters, including the iconic Hamley and Hattie bear, the circus ringmaster, the toy soldier, and the rag doll, alongside classic Hamleys features like a lively entertainment team, toy demonstrations, music, dance, and even bubbles. The store offers a carefully curated toy selection spanning all play categories and age groups featuring top brands like Build-a-Bear, Lego, Hello Kitty, Preziosi Pet, Arias dolls, and Very Bella, offering a wide array of make-up and accessories for kids to experiment with new looks.
“We’re thrilled to see the timeless magic of the Hamleys experience so warmly embraced in our other Italian stores. This exciting new location, with its comprehensive lifestyle offering, perfectly reflects our commitment to creating unforgettable experiences for children and families around the world. Our collaboration with Giochi Preziosi (GP Group) continues to thrive and strengthen with each new milestone,” said Sumeet Yadav, CEO of Hamleys Global.
Hamleys was founded in 1760 by William Hamley and acquired by Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) in 2019. Currently with 190 shops spread across 14 countries, the heart of Hamleys remains firmly in its world-famous Regent Street shop, which continues to be one of the UK’s most visited destinations. Hamleys continues to expand into new markets, the most recent being Rome, Sharjah (UAE), Milan, Tirana, Pristina and Doha to name a few.
“Our fourth Hamleys opening brings Giochi Preziosi even further satisfaction in the British brand’s retail expansion here in Italy and in a market where toys generate strong and deep engagement with Italian shoppers of all ages.
We are excited to see how customers in Campania, who are always very enthusiastic, will respond to the addition of this iconic retail store in their neighbourhood. We are sure they, as well as the many tourists present in this area of high archaeological and historical value, will throw themselves into all the magic of Hamleys,” says Enrico Preziosi, founder of the Giochi Preziosi Group.
The Hamleys store at MaxiMall Pompeii will officially open its doors on December 14th. The event will feature appearances by popular children’s characters, the traditional bell exchange ceremony, and a ribbon-cutting with the beloved Hamley Bear.
Know More About HAMLEYS
The rich history of Hamleys begins with William Hamley, a Cornish man from Bodmin, England. Mr Hamley dreamed of opening the best toy shop in the world, which he realised when he opened his first shop in Holborn, London, in 1760. Some 264 years later, Hamleys, the best toy shop in the world, is synonymous with magical experiences and joy for children.
The Hamleys retail experience includes play opportunities for children, eye-catching shop design, customer service expertise and incredible toy demonstrations. In addition to the popular London toy shop, Hamleys is a global brand currently operating in 14 countries with 190 shops in the UK, Italy, India, UAE, China, Malaysia and Mexico.
In July 2019, Reliance Brands Limited [RBL] marked its first international foray by acquiring the global operations of Hamleys. RBL has been operating Hamleys franchise shops in India since 2010.
Know More About GIOCHI PREZIOSI
The Giochi Preziosi Group was founded in 1978 by Enrico Preziosi as a wholesale distributor of traditional toys. It later became the exclusive distributor of leading international toy manufacturers. The first transformation of the Giochi Preziosi Group took place after a few years: the group started selling toys developed in-house. Subsequently, the group became accredited with the world’s leading licensees for the distribution of toy lines linked to famous cartoons and children’s films.
Finally, by exploiting and capitalising on the experience gained in distribution activities and the development of its own properties, the Giochi Preziosi Group has become one of the main partners of international entertainment companies for the development of master toy licences at European level.
The Giochi Preziosi Group is currently one of the European market leaders for traditional toys. It strengthened its position with the acquisition of the Spanish market leader, Famosa Group.
The Giochi Preziosi Group consists of more than 30 legal entities and operates in 6 European countries, as well as in Turkey and Mexico, through its subsidiaries. The group serves the rest of the world through local distributors.
The Giochi Preziosi Group currently holds franchising agreements with around 400 Italian toy shops operating under its own ‘Giocheria’ brand, and in the last two years, as part of a retail business development project, it has opened several ‘Giochi Preziosi’ shops in many Italian cities.
