news Entertainer opens 60th store
UK Toy specialist, The Entertainer, has opened its 60th Store today in the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford City. This is the 6th store opening for The Entertainer in 2011 with six more stores still to open. Free balloons and goody bags, a balloon artist, toy demonstrations and special giveaways, were all part of the attraction for shoppers on day one. Entertainer MD, Gary Grant, commented: “Today is a milestone for The
Entertainer with it being our 60th Store. The store is trading well and we wish the new store team well. There‚Äôs a great buzz at the store and the new shopping centre looks fantastic.”
Toymaster bullish on sales boost
Toymaster has responded to news of falling sales at Argos, Toys R Us and Mothercare with a bullish trading statement of its own that shows sales increases amongst its members. Marketing and operations director, Ian Edmunds said Toymaster’s group purchases to the end of August were + 1.3 per cent. “As detailed to both members and suppliers at the spring presentations we budgeted on purchases being down 5% in 2011. But although conditions in the high street remain challenging, Toymaster finds itself ahead of where budgeted to be and more importantly members sales YTD are improving month-by-month. “Perhaps the sceptics who regularly predict the death of the independents are looking in the wrong direction? Who knows, if the snow falls of last November and December aren’t repeated, we might even have another year of growth.”
New location for University Games
The new address is: Unit 3-4, The Business Centre, The Courtyard, Glory Park Wooburn Moor, Bucks, HP10 0DG Tel: 0333 4050120
Kiddimoto secures Dragons Den Investment
University Games has relocated its business from Suffolk to south Buckinghamshire. The move to a premises just outside High Wycombe comes as the company continues to increase its portfolio of games in the family and pre-school sectors. The move, effective from 30th September, was overseen by University Games’ UK General Manager, Adrian Whyles.
Presidential approval for Clever Box Club
When Elaine McCabe, founder of the Clever Box Club, made a replica of the US Presidential home from Clever Boxes at a children’s workshop in May, she never envisaged that shortly after, the children of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama - Malia and Sasha - would be playing with a Clever Box in the White House. Clever Box Club was among
an extremely small group of Irish companies whose products were selected to be presented to President & Michelle Obama during their visit in May. Elaine told Toy World: “A few months prior to the Presidential visit we decided to offer a Clever Box Club gift for Sasha Obama to the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. We were aware of Michelle Obama’ s keen interest in the development of more diverse education programmes, including projects related to the Arts and those of a creative and innovative nature. We were delighted to be contacted by the American Embassy and advised that our product had been chosen. Not necessarily anticipating any further follow up, we couldn’ t believe it when an envelope with The White House stamp arrived to our office. Inside was a letter of thanks for the gift and signed by Michelle Obama.”
Somerset-based entrepreneur Simon Booth has succeeded in securing investment from not one but two Dragons for his wooden balance bike company, Kiddimoto. His success was viewed on Monday night (12/09/11) on the BBC. Simon enlisted the help of his three year old daughter Ruby and entered the Den looking for an investment of £75,000 in return for a 10 per cent equity in Kiddimoto. Despite facing stiff interrogation from all five Dragons, Simon overcame adversity, leaving the Den with the full investment and two new business mentors in the guise of new dragon Hilary Devey and Duncan Bannatyne. Kiddimoto Ltd was established in 2004 to produce bikes for 2-6 year old children based upon the silhouette of actual motorcycles that would both be fun in play but serve as an important development tool for motor-skills, co-ordination, balance and movement. Designed in Britain and manufactured in China, Kiddimotos are constructed from natural birch plywood with child-safe paint and conform to British, European and US safety regulations. To take Kiddimoto to the next level, Simon decided to seek investment. “We are continuing to expand our number and type of stockist, which has placed a lot of
strain on inventory levels. It has become very apparent that we have to significantly increase production to service the demand, Explained Simon. For the first time since the early days in the history of Kiddimoto, we’ve needed to seek external funding solutions to increase stock levels. Kiddimoto’s strong trading position and the security of the government-backed Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme as assurance meant the banks were eager to lend but Simon also wanted a business mentor who would offer more than just a financial solution to guide him through Kiddimoto‚Äôs expansion, and the idea of entering Dragons Den was born. After sending in an online application for Dragons’ Den and passing a screen test, Simon made his pitch in the studio. After some tough questions and three Dragons declaring out in quick succession Duncan Bannatyne came to the rescue, with not one but two offers of investment in Kiddimoto but at an increased 30 per cent equity. Hilary Devey had helped Simon out with his figures during the financial questions, and was to come through as a Kiddimoto advocate when a joint deal for 15 per cent equity each was struck with Hilary Devey and Duncan.
14 Toyworld
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