The Entertainer across Dubai and GCC Region

The Entertainer set to build its international presence across Dubai and GCC Region.

The Entertainer, the fastest-growing high street toy retailer in the UK, confirmed that it has secured a new franchise partnership with leading Dubai-based retail and lifestyle corporation, Apparel Group, who will be responsible for opening up-to thirty stores for the UK’s largest chain of toy shops over the next five years across the GCC region (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain & Kuwait).

Apparel Group currently operates more than 1450 stores and employs 12,000 staff covering four continents. They have an acclaimed reputation for understanding the retail market across the Gulf region which makes Apparel an ideal partner for The Entertainer’s ambitious international growth plans.  

The Entertainer currently has 131 shops located across the UK, plus nine international stores through its successful franchise partnerships.  Now in its 36^th year, the family-owned and operated business has seen unprecedented year on year growth for six consecutive years and employs more than 1,500 staff across its shops, head office and distribution warehouses.  Located in high streets, town centres and in major shopping malls such as Westfield, the shops are renowned for providing an amazing customer experience to everyone who walks through the doors.  Regardless of age, The Entertainer’s focus is on providing a fun and engaging experience for all.  The Entertainer offers the hottest toys and over 700 exclusive items for all ages and runs in-store promotions, competitions, costume character visits and special events year-round to engage its customers.

In what has now become The Entertainer tradition, each new store celebrates its opening with a Grand Opening Day which boasts in-store activities that include special costume character appearances, face painting, in-store demos of the latest hot toys and special seasonal promotions.  Each shop also hosts a special trolley dash on that day for a local charity.

Commenting on the new partnership with Apparel Group, The Entertainer’s Founder & Managing Director, Gary Grant said: “We are truly delighted to have found a well-established retail expert to be our franchise partner in the GCC who will enable us to meet our ambitious international growth targets.  The Apparel Group has a strong presence and are an appealing partner due to their proven success and credibility across the region.  We are really excited to be growing our international business alongside them and continuing to establish The Entertainer brand beyond the UK in 2017.”

The new partnership with Apparel Group follows the announcement last October of another franchise partnership with Ermes Group in Cyprus.