A Passport to London: Modernizing Hamleys Regent St.
Ever since Hamleys opened in London in 1766, children of every era have associated the famous toy store with a sense of magic and fun.
With plans to expand into the global marketplace, Hamleys challenged Chute Gerdeman Retail with establishing a strong branded identity for the toy store. One that reflects its unique position as London’s (and perhaps the world’s) oldest and most respected toy store and expresses the unique heritage and character that has led to its longevity and success.
Hamleys has capitalized on its opportunity to not only convey their venerable brand to the rest of the world, but to do it with British style and wit.
To convey this storied brand, the design team came up with a unique and potent CG triple header—combining heritage elements of the Hamleys brand, of London, and of the world of childhood literature.
A new Hamleys’ experience awaits guests as they enter the legendary flagship store on London’s historic Regent Street. The iconic “regency style” storefront continues inside the entryway and immediately immerses customers into the premium, yet fun, ambiance.
Drawing inspiration from London itself, the design for the grand entryway was created with the details of nearby architectural landmarks in mind. Combined with modern video displays, this classic architecture is updated in a playful way.
Serving as a gateway to the escalators, the 20-foot-long, signature London double-decker bus is centered on the ground floor. Within the bus grill, an embedded speaker contains the recorded audio of the “bus driver” greeting customers and announcing the route for all the store’s departments. Look closely, the bus grill features “1760” (the year Hamleys was established) as part of the license plate. The walls feature shelving for product display. Above, windows allow customers on the escalator to see into the department and become part of the magical experience.
A key dynamic of the design was the development of a Hamleys’ identity. One that could rise above the multiple vendor brands within the store. The design team developed a consistent and carefully woven vocabulary of environmental and graphic language that is specific to Hamleys and supersedes all of the vendor brands.
Key to the store’s success is its top rated customer service, which is on display at the many demonstration stations strategically placed throughout the store. The stations keep customers playing and involved in their own unique experience at Hamleys. With a variety of playful interactive elements, simply being at the newly updated Hamleys is a truly immersive experience in itself.
This space was created to be the essence of Hamleys’ rich heritage, but is interpreted in a very playful way.
Guests know that this place is unlike any other toyshop in the world. This is the famous Hamleys store on Regent Street. This is the spirit of magic.
And speaking of magic, since the store’s update, sales are up 34% from previous levels.
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