ToyChamp discontinued, stores take on DreamLand colours

From September, all ToyChamp stores in both Belgium and the Netherlands will take on DreamLand‘s name. That is the surprising result of ToyChamp buying Dreamland in 2023.

“Household name”

After the acquisition, the owners had already streamlined the activities of both retail chains behind the scenes, but now the Nolmans family has decided to terminate its brand name ToyChamp from September on. All of its 92 Belgian and Dutch stores will then continue under the DreamLand brand name.

“We did not make this decision lightly, we have studied and validated various scenarios extensively with customers and employees”, CEO Koen Nolmans says. The conclusion of that exercise? “DreamLand is, certainly in Belgium, a household name to which many consumers associate positive values. It would not be wise to decide to let that name disappear from the market for purely emotional reasons, when so much has already been invested in its commercial potential.”

New store concept

The brand DreamLand will be retained, but will receive a complete make-over – including a new logo and a new store concept. From the beginning of next year, all stores will be renovated to better meet consumer needs and to offer an optimal customer experience.

“We continue to believe in the future of physical toy stores, provided that they put the customer central to everything and offer an experience that makes people dream, stimulates them and inspires them. We have consciously focused on this in recent years, and we have decided that the DreamLand brand lends itself best to further shaping that concept in the future”, Nolmans says.

ToyChamp acquired three quarters of the DreamLand shares from Colruyt Group in 2023. Since then, the retailer has grown to 92 stores in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Last year, Nolmans also acquired the Dutch Intertoys chain. However, those stores will continue to operate as Intertoys, a well established name on the Dutch market.