Real Men Do Shop…at Hamleys Toy Store

Hamleys toy store in Regent's Street

Ping went my mobile and up popped a text message from my partner.  Just exiting tube he wrote and please can we have lunch as I have a special project for you. Replied okay and we met as usual in John Lewis men’s socks on the ground floor before taking the lift to the restaurant we favour.  JL is great for feeding families who shop with kids and also has quiet spots for those without. We perused the menu and as usual opted for the fish and chips which we always share and a side order of mushy peas.  If you are new to Blighty you may not have encountered this veg before but they are exactly what they say…cooked peas that have been mushed up. They are deliciously minty at JL and you might become addicted to them as I am.

The ‘project’ was to find a special birthday gift for his special grandchild.  Do you have any ideas queried my guy and I immediately knew what to reply. Let’s go back to Hamleys Regent Street. Our shopping experience there was fantastic. Despite the huge crowds, Hamleys  offers something special. Great service!
 

Hamleys' staff playing with children

Having spent part of my career writing about retailing I can always spot the great training that results in great service and the sales assistants here are perfect examples. Ask any of the staff where something is and they know the answer.  They will take you to your request, help you choose and will even gift wrap on the spot at checkout.  And the price points are amazing as they cater to every possible budget. A big hit for us and you will find for any of your overseas visitors no matter what their age.

After some thought my guy decided that a Steiff teddy was the way to go.  He had happy memories of his own one. We navigated the sea of stuffed animals on the ground floor to the Steiff area with many stops to check out all the quirky, noisy, silly mechanical toys that so appeal to the male Brit, especially those boarding school boys who are still kids at heart. It is interesting to note that many of the shoppers are men with kids as it is really a man place.

Arriving at Steiff we inspected the array of teddies and he inevitably chose a model that was similar to that of his childhood. But, this was not a snap decision. He had to inspect the facial expression of every ted…yes they vary…before the choice was final.  With the perfect bear under his arm in a special Steiff box found for us by an enthusiastic sales person, we headed for the pay desk, again taking suitable detours to inspect the appealing, mechanical, noisy big boy toys.  A successful outing, a rather long lunch and a joyful my guy shopping time.  Yes… his grandchild loved the teddy and it was a perfect photo op.

www.hamleys.com


Written by Doris Gilbert. Doris is a free lance journalist and an expat American who has lived in London for several decades.  She has worked with German, Irish and British magazines and is a correspondent with FOCUS, covering many diverse subjects.

For more information about FOCUS visit: www.focus-info.org