GameStop prepares to combat toy stores with ‘GameStop Kids’ holiday shops

[Corey]

With the holiday season approaching and parents planning their kid’s shopping lists, GameStop (GME) is looking to steal some of the thunder away from traditional toy stores with new “GameStop Kids” holiday stores across the U.S. Video game retailer GameStop announced on Friday it plans on opening 80 “GameStop Kids” stores in select U.S. malls to deliberately deliver brands that resonate better with children. The first GameStop Kids store will open on November 15th and will highlight kid-favorites such as Rovio’s Angry Birds, Activision’s Skylanders and Telltale Games’ LEGO: Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Harry Potter games.

Speaking to the Dallas Business Journal, GameStop CEO Paul Raines said “This is really a way for us to take share away from people who are in the toy business and have an expanded assortment and show people how to drive kids to new experiences, new products or an expanded assortment of existing products like Skylanders and Angry Birds.”

But why not create a separate section in the 4,400 existing GameStop stores in the U.S.? Raines said the stores aren’t suitable for targeting kids because the average gamer who shops there is a 30-year old male.

Although the stores are temporary, Raines acknowledged that they could stick around for longer if they’re successful.

GameStop’s press release follows below.

GameStop Launches New Holiday Store Concept, GameStop Kids™

Company to open approximately 80 holiday stores

GRAPEVINE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 26, 2012– Holiday shoppers need to look no further for the perfect video game licensed present this season. GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME), the world’s largest multichannel video game retailer, today unveiled a new store concept aimed at offering a unique and innovative shopping experience for the kid in all of us. Starting today, the company will begin the roll out of approximately 80 GameStop Kids holiday store locations in select malls throughout the U.S.

GameStop today announces the national launch of approximately 80 GameStop Kids holiday stores, starting at the Grapevine Mills Mall in TX. www.GameStop.com/Kids (Photo: Business Wire)

From Angry Birds to Hello Kitty, GameStop Kids stores will feature an assortment of this season’s most sought after video games and accessories, video game licensed products, popular toy brands and collectibles like:

Skylanders: GameStop exclusive Golden Dragonfire Cannon Battlepack, additional characters, throws, backpacks, carriers and displays

Angry Birds: Angry Birds plush with sound effects, splat balls, mash’ems launcher pack, backpack clips, mugs and coming soon: Angry Birds Star Wars plush

LEGO: Lord of the Rings, Stars Wars and Harry Potter build sets along with Marvel character build sets

Star Wars: Two-foot plush talking Chewbacca, key chains, phone cases, banks and more

Minecraft: Minecreeper head, LEGO Minecraft Microworld and foam pick axe

“We are always striving to make the shopping experience better for holiday gift givers,” said Bob Puzon, GameStop’s vice president of merchandising. “GameStop Kids takes that one step further by having the hottest brands and products that people of all ages can love – from Star Wars and LEGO to modern favorites like Skylanders Giants.”

GameStop CEO, Paul Raines, announced last night at the annual Latino Leaders Maestro awards ceremony in Dallas, Texas that the first GameStop Kids location opens today at the Grapevine Mills Mall in Grapevine, Texas, with all other locations opening in the coming days and weeks.

Customers not in close proximity to a GameStop Kids, can visit any U.S. GameStop store and place an order for thousands of items, including the exciting assortment of GameStop Kids products complete with free shipping (quantities may be limited; please see a store associate for more details). To find a GameStop Kids near you and see the complete list of locations, please visit www.GameStop.com/Kids.

About GameStop

GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, is the world’s largest multichannel video game retailer. GameStop’s retail network and family of brands include 6,628 company-operated stores in 15 countries worldwide and online at www.GameStop.com. The network also includes: www.Kongregate.com, a leading browser-based game site; Game Informer® magazine, the leading multi-platform video game publication; Spawn Labs, a streaming technology company; and a digital PC game distribution platform available at www.GameStop.com/pc.

General information on GameStop Corp. can be obtained at the company’s corporate website. Follow GameStop on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/GameStop and find GameStop on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/GameStop.

 

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