The world’s oldest toy retailer – Hamleys – is to make its Singapore debut this month.

Hamleys Singapore will open its first store in the Plaza Singapura extension on July 24 in a partnership with Global Retail Ventures, which also runs Hamleys’ outlets in Malaysia.

The move is part of an aggressive global expansion strategy for the London-founded, French-owned brand which has this year opened a giant Moscow flagship, has its first store opening in Vietnam this month and in Asia is already also trading in the Philippines. The Plaza Singapura store is likely to be the first of several in Singapore. Hamleys, through a Vietnamese franchise partner, is opening in Singapore-based Mapletree’s joint venture SC VivoCity shopping centre in Ho Chi Minh City.

The toy chain has 54 stores in 17 countries with stock range targeting children from toddlers to adults.

The debut Singapore shop will feature 12,000 sqft of retail space across two stories and stock more than 10,000 items.

Plaza Singapura management want to position the mall as a one-stop destination for families.