Toy shop chain expands (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Keighley-founded firm opens new shops

3:23pm Monday 17th August 2009 in Business By Chris Holland

The need to attract tenants to shopping centres hit by the high street downturn has enabled a Keighley-based independent toy retailer to expand with four new stores, creating more than 20 new jobs.

Conways Toymaster is bucking the recession by opening four shops this month in shopping centres at Harrogate, Barnsley, Middlesbrough and Blackburn. Each 2,000 sq ft shop will create six new jobs.

Gordon Walker, 35, buyer with the family-run business which employs 100 staff, said: “Toys are a vital part of children’s pre-school learning, co-ordination and family play. We are an independent retailer offering traditional and TV-advertised toys for everyone from pre-school age children to jigsaws for adults.

“We offer high-quality products, great value and good, friendly customer service.

“It can be difficult for us to get into shopping centres because we are unable to pay as much as clothing shops but the economic climate has enabled us to obtain good deals so we can expand and shopping centre owners know that they need a variety of stores to attract a wide customer base.

“We offer a ‘touch-and-feel’ shopping experience which cannot be provided online and are delighted to be expanding so we can get new shops established before Christmas.”

Leases for the new stores were agreed by the Harrogate law firm Barber Titleys.

Conways Toymaster was founded in Cavendish Street, Keighley, by Barry Walker in 1972 and is part of a 300-strong independent buying group of Toymaster-branded shops.

The business traded as a single 5,500 sq ft store in Keighley until 1999 but has expanded in the last decade opening stores in Bradford, Otley, Bury, West Houghton near Wigan, Blackpool, Preston, Halifax and Huddersfield, as well as outlets in department stores.

Richard Davies, managing partner of Barber Titleys, said: “Shopping centres badly need to avoid becoming interchangeable or they will kill ‘tourism shopping’.

“So we have been pleased to support the expansion of Conways Toymaster which is creating jobs in such difficult times and adding variety to a growing number of northern shopping centres.”