As Hamleys prepares to open Europe’s largest toy store, take a look at the best toy shops around the world from Shanghai to Copenhagen.

Matthew Brown, director at retail consultancy Echochamber, believes the best toy retailing is “about getting deeper into products, services, ‘theatre’ and community”.

The best toy stores in the world, whether they are the Hamleys on Regent Street or Toys R Us at Times Square all display the sense of theatre described by Brown.

He adds: “Equally, American Girl Place in Chicago is amazing – doll hair salons, photo studios, specially designed restaurants, a theatre, special events – all underpinned by tons of stories about the made up lives of a series of dolls. The style is pure pink, sugary sweetness – but it is an exemplar of enthusiastic ‘total’ retail.”

However, despite some of the incredible stores around the world, Brown points out that the toy sector can often be stuck in the past when it comes to innovation.

“The toy sector does not tend to stick with retail trends. It is stuck in a time warp of kitsch and nonsese because they think its about kids and they want plastic glitz,” explains Brown.