The Amersham-based toy chain has over 170 outlets
(Picture: Provided by the Entertainer)Retailers are preparing for what could be a difficult peak-sales season in the run up to Christmas 2022, but whatever the problems shoppers have with soaring inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, it is about to become easier to get hold of stocking fillers.
The Entertainer, the Amersham-based toy seller, is opening 35 concessions in Tesco, the UK’s biggest retailer. The tie-up will also include free-of-charge character visits for children of all ages, featuring famous faces from the range of big-name toys, which will include Paw Patrol, Barbie, LEGO and Marvel.
It will feature items from the Early Learning Centre for very young children and the Addo range of value toys.
The Entertainer was founded in the early 1980s by husband-and-wife team Gary and Catherine Grant, who started out in the industry when they took over the Pram and Toy Bar in their hometown of Amersham, which they turned into a welcoming and fun place for children and adults alike. The format now has 170 outlets in the UK and over 30 overseas, and one of the very first employees who joined at the start of the expansion still works at the company as the head of its new store development team.
Gary Grant said: “Our mission when we launched The Entertainer in 1981 was simple: to become the best-loved toyshop – one child, one community at a time, and we’re incredibly proud that this partnership will enable us to continue.”
Louise Goodland, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Tesco, added: “We’re delighted to launch this trial with The Entertainer team, who are leading experts in their field. We’re excited to work alongside them and bring a new offer to our customers.”
The partnership is being run on a trial basis and will start in October.
