The arrival of US heavyweight Toys ‘R’ Us in Ireland will present a serious challenge to leading homegrown stores – particularly in the crucial run-up to Christmas

THE LUCRATIVE toys and games marketin Ireland is to get a major shakeup with the decision by the world’s largest toy retailer Toys ‘R’ Us to open two major outlets along the M50 in Dublin, plus several smaller temporary shops in the top performing shopping centres.

The company operates 840 stores in the United States and 716 outlets in 34 other countries. Its flagship store in New York’s Times Square is the largest toy store in the world.

Colliers International is currently assembling a list of possible locations for the two 3,716sq m (40,000sq ft) stores which could open in a matter of months.

One of them is likely to be located between Airside and Blanchardstown in the north of the city, while the other may be built between Carrickmines and Cherrywood to appeal to south Dublin residents. The giant retailer will be looking for sites of up to two acres to provide on-site parking for at least 300 cars.

In the meantime, Colliers is understood to be looking for a range of “pop-up shops”, mainly in shopping centres, which can be leased on a short-term basis in the run-up to Christmas. Most shopping centres have vacant units available because of the fall-off in consumer spending and the closure of many businesses over the past six months.

The arrival of Toys ‘R’ Us in Dublin will create a serious challenge for Irish company Smyths Toys which has been the dominant player in the market for at least two decades.

Smyths currently operates 20 stores in the Republic, six of them in Dublin. The company is expanding its operation despite the current recession and plans to open a new store in Navan next month.

Smyths has also been expanding its store network in the UK where it has 20 outlets including six in Northern Ireland.

Another multiple toy retailer, Byrnes World of Wonder, has closed several of its branches this year as part of a restructuring of the company.

At one stage the group had 19 shops across Munster and Leinster.

Two years ago the legendary London toy shop Hamleys opened a large store in Dundrum Town Centre.

While this London institution has been in business for more than 200 years, Dundrum became its first stand-alone store outside Regent Street.