Global toy retailer Hamleys has taken the first step to becoming an experience brand after opening a mini theme park in its new Moscow store – also the largest toy shop in Europe.

Located in the same building that housed the former Soviet Union’s largest toy shop, the retailer’s new 75,000sq ft (6,967sq m) store in Moscow’s Lubyanka Square would take the title as world’s largest toy store should Toys R Us in New York’s Times Square follow through with reported plans to either close down or downsize by 2016.

The toy store/theme park concept, developed by global design studios Fitch and Paragon Creative, offers shoppers and visitors nine “worlds of play”, including Enchanted Forest, Imagination, Lego World, Magic Kingdom, Metropolis, Motor City, Park, Safari and Space.

“If we were going to open a toy store that was 70,000 sq ft it could not have been a normal toy shop, it is just too big,” said Hamleys chief executive, Gudjon Reynisson.

“We decided to create something new - this concept is an interactive world where the brands can interact with attractions more in a manner akin to a theme park.

“It has taken us three years but I can say we pulled it off. This store is starting a new era in toy retail. There is nowhere anywhere like this store. I just have to admit this is now the best toy shop in the world.”

Among the inclusions in the giant experience store, on display is a full-scale replica of the Millenium Falcon made famous in Star Wars, train for kids, go-karting track, castle and a 13 metre (42.6 foot) high Lego rocket.

Speaking exclusively to AM2, Mark Pyrah, director of Paragon, said the company has been working actively with Hamleys for the past two years, looking at turning the toy brand from purely retail into a new leisure/retail experience.

“Paragon provided design services parallel to Fitch,” said Pyrah speaking on the Moscow store. “Fitch focused on the layout, retail planning and brand immersion, while Paragon looked at the concept design of the attractions. What we did was turn what would have been a flagship Hamleys store into what we’re now calling ‘Hamleys World’ – a Hamleys which incorporates retail and leisure.

“Over the past two years, we’ve been working closely with Hamleys to look at what the potential new format of to brand could be, which certainly starts to work its way into a theme park environment.”