Wrexham's Toy Store Chain The Entertainer is Closing: What's Happening to the Employees.

Closure of The Entertainer Store in Wrexham

According to The Sun: The beloved toy store chain has announced the closure of another one of its branches. CEO Andrew Murphy has confirmed that The Entertainer store in Wrexham is closing.

“With great sadness, we have come to the conclusion that continuing the lease of our store in Wrexham at the Eagles Meadow shopping center is not commercially viable,” Murphy said.

“We are particularly sorry that this will impact our colleagues who have managed the store beautifully,” he added. Murphy noted that this is a “sad fact of retailing.”

“Stores sometimes have to close as shopping patterns change, and rising costs exceed sales growth,” he remarked.

The store opened in 2015 at the Eagles Meadow shopping center and will close at the beginning of the new year. The news comes just days after the brand announced the closure of its store in Sheffield.

The Entertainer at The Moor shopping center in Sheffield will close on Saturday, October 11. The store is conducting a sale with a 25% discount on all items, as “everything must go.”

Prices on many items have been reduced by a quarter, except for gift cards, Lego products, VTech, and LeapFrog items.

Customers have expressed their outrage over the store's closure, with one social media user commenting: “And another one bites the dust.”

Savers Health and Beauty Ltd has applied for planning permission to build, already presenting designs for a new sign for the building.

Further Closures and News

This is just the latest loss for The Entertainer this year, as closures also affect stores in Barrow-in-Furness, Croydon, Luton, and Wandsworth.

This is not the only closure at Eagles Meadow: River Island has also announced the closure of its store in Wrexham by January 2026.

River Island CEO Ben Lewis stated: “[the brand] is a beloved retailer, with decades of history on British streets.”

“However, the well-documented migration of shoppers from stores to online has left the business with a large portfolio of stores that no longer meets the needs of our customers,” he continued.

“Rising business operating costs in recent years have only increased the financial burden,” Lewis added.

“We have a clear strategy for transforming the business to ensure its long-term viability.”

Lewis noted that “recent improvements… show very positive results” in River Island stores.

“Only through a restructuring plan can we implement this strategy and secure the future of River Island as a profitable retail business,” he emphasized.

“We regret any job losses due to store closures and will strive to minimize them.”

The Entertainer was first opened in 1981 by Gary and Catherine Grant. At its peak, the chain had 160 stores, with the first store in Amersham.

After 44 years of ownership, the Grant family turned the business into an Employee Trust this year.

Entertainer toys are offered in over 2,700 Tesco stores.

Customers have expressed their disappointment over the closure online. One wrote: “This is sad, I don’t visit the store as often since my child grew up, but the staff was always wonderful.”

“Oh no, another store, I really enjoyed going there with my four-year-old grandson,” added another.

This wave of closures reflects significant changes in the retail world, where traditional brick-and-mortar stores face serious challenges due to shifts in shopping habits, particularly in times of economic hardship. Observers assert that the rise of online shopping and increasing competition in e-commerce are influencing closure decisions, especially in traditional shopping centers.