The world’s oldest toy retailer, Hamleys has launched its first exclusive retail store in Italy with franchisee Giochi Preziosi SPA (GP), a prominent player in Italy’s toy manufacturing and distribution industry, Reliance Retail Ventures said in a release.

Under the terms of the franchise agreement, GP has exclusive rights to operate Hamleys stores throughout Italy, with a second outlet planned in Rome, which will be the flagship store.

The first store is located in central Milan, at the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, a bustling thoroughfare next to the historic cathedrals of Piazza del Duomo and Piazza San Babila.

Hamleys, founded in 1760 by William Hamley, was acquired by Reliance Brands in 2019. It has a footprint of 191 stores across 15 countries. Its main store, at London’s Regent Street, continues to be one of the most visited destinations in the UK.

Hamleys is also expanding — both into newer markets, most recently the Balkans, with its first store in Albania and Kosovo, and in existing territories like India and West Asia with a store in Qatar.

“The new store launch is timed perfectly with a refreshed store design concept,” said Sumeet Yadav, CEO, Hamleys Global.