Toy Megastore Comes to Prague

UK's famed Hamleys to open one of Europe’s largest toy stores in the Czech capital

Dave Park

Written by Dave Park Published on 04.08.2015 11:32:58 (updated on 04.08.2015) Reading time: 1 minute

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Prague might soon get its very own Big moment.

One of the world’s most famous toy stores closed its doors last month when New York City’s Fifth Avenue landmark FAO Schwartz went online-only. The store was perhaps best known as the place where Tom Hanks tap danced on the keyboard carpet in the movie Big. 

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Earlier this year, it was reported that UK-based toy retailer Hamleys was considering opening a store in Prague, at the City Palais location near the Můstek metro that was previously occupied by Julius Meinl.

The Austrian grocery giant closed down in late 2014, lasting about a year in the Czech capital.

In June, local media reported that Hamleys was searching for alternative locations for a flagship store in Prague, potentially in the city’s shopping centers, as well as additional stores throughout the country.

Yesterday, a press release from developer Lordship confirmed the location of Prague’s flagship Hamleys store – a few blocks away from City Palais, at the corner of Na příkopě and Panská streets.

The location is 6,130 m2, which would make it one of the largest toy stores in Europe – a title claimed by a 7,000 m2 Hamleys outlet in Moscow when it opened earlier this year. The Hamleys flagship in London occupies 4,500 m2.

FAO Schwartz occupied approximately 65,000 square feet on Fifth Avenue – about 6,039 m2. The flagship Times Square Toys ‘R’ Us location – which also closed its doors earlier this year – took up 110,000 square feet, or 10,219 m2.

Hamleys is the one of the world’s oldest and best-known toys store in operation. It was started 255 years ago as Noah’s Ark in Holborn, London, by founder William Hamley.

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Around half of the products offered by Hamleys are exclusive to the retailer.

The Prague Hamleys is expected to open in the first half of 2016. 

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