British toy empire Hamleys just opened the doors to their flagship outlet in Singapore. If you’ve been to London, chances are you’ve been completely enthralled by Hamleys, feeling like a kid again as you prance down the aisles. It’s time to rediscover that magic here. Before you (or your children) are let loose to seize every toy off the racks, here are five facts about the beloved toy store.
1) Hamleys is the oldest toy shop in the world. 255 years ago, Cornishman William Hamley opened his toy store, Noah’s Ark, in Holborn, London. Over the years, the toy shop was renamed Hamleys, in honour of its founder.
2) The names of the Hamleys mascot bears are 'Hamley' and 'Hattie'.
Photo: Howie Choo
3) Adding to the magic of the flagship store on London's Regent Street are the seven floors of toys.
Photo: Howie Choo
4) But even larger than that, the biggest Hamleys outlet at 6,750 square meters is located in Moscow's Lubyanka Square.
5) In 2014, Hamleys on Regent Street created a bus stop in front of their store made out of Lego bricks to mark mark Transport for London (TfL) Year of the Bus. We hope that Hamleys Singapore gets to do something with the bus stop in front of their Plaza Singapura branch, too.