Checkers planning new standalone toy stores to compete against Toys R Us and Toy Kingdom

Checkers, which forms part of the Shoprite Group, is planning a standalone toy store brand to compete against Toys R Us, Toy Kingdom, and Hamleys.

The group already has many standalone retail brands in sectors such as clothing, pets, outdoor, and liquor.

Uniq Clothing by Checkers, for example, is a standalone apparel store focused on premium everyday wardrobe basics.

Petshop Science, in turn, is a dedicated pet-care speciality store offering premium pet foods, accessories, and veterinary supplies.

Checkers Outdoor focuses on camping, braai, outdoor living, and adventure gear stores. It competes against Cape Union Mart and Outdoor Warehouse.

The retailer’s planned move into a standalone toy store should therefore not come as a surprise, especially as it is one of its fastest-growing segments.

It already has Checkers Little Me, a baby-and-toddler retail chain offering maternity wear, nursery furniture, strollers, and early-childhood developmental toys.

To expand into more general toys is an obvious evolution, as the company has reported growing demand for these products.

In December 2025, Andy Ridge, general manager for digital commerce at Shoprite, said they saw more customers choosing Checkers Sixty60 for their festive toy shopping.

“They want convenience, speed, and the confidence that they’re getting the latest trends at competitive prices,” he said.

There was such strong demand that Checkers stores had to increase toy stock by 30% compared to 2024.

“Hyper stores now carry up to 2,000 toy lines, including international brands, local favourites, and LEGO shop-in-shops concepts,” he said.

A source at the company said that Checkers was planning to launch a concept store this year. However, the retailer would not confirm that.

Instead, it said only that a standalone toy store chain was one of the opportunities it was exploring.

“As part of our ongoing focus on customer-centric innovation, we continuously explore opportunities to better serve our customers and meet their evolving needs,” it said.

“A standalone toy store brand is one of several opportunities being evaluated, and no decisions have been made at this stage.”

Toys are important to Checkers

Checkers has increased its focus on toys in its stores, with a dedicated, year-round footprint across different formats.

Large-format Checkers Hyper stores carry up to 2,000 active toy lines, placing them on par with dedicated brick-and-mortar stores such as Toys R Us and Toy Kingdom.

It has also experimented with store-within-a-store formats, partnering with global brands to feature dedicated LEGO shops inside Hyper outlets.

At the end of the last year, for example, the Checkers Hyper at Winelands Square in Paarl featured its first LEGO shop-in-shop in the Western Cape.

Checkers Sixty60 gives it an additional edge in launching a dedicated toy brand, as it can drive demand through platform searches.

This data shows which toys are in demand and what people are looking for during specific periods, like the festive season.

The on-demand Checkers Sixty60 service also makes it easy for clients to buy toys and get them delivered the same day.

Another benefit is that toys carry a higher gross margin than fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and fresh food.

Increasing non-food penetration helps protect gross margins against food inflation and price wars in staple groceries.

According to a source close to the plans for a dedicated toy retail chain, Checkers will focus on popular categories.

He said that LEGO was an obvious starting point for them, with a wide range to attract new shoppers to their stores.