For over 250 years Hamleys of London has been The Finest Toy Shop in the World bringing magical experiences and joy to children of all ages. Hamleys rich history began with William Hamley, a Cornishman from Bodmin, England. William Hamley dreamed of the best toy shop in the world when opening his toy shop at Holborn, London in 1760. The success of Hamleys continued over the years and in 1881 Hamleys opened on London's Regent Street. Today, Hamleys’ flag ship London store, with over 50,000 toys across 7 floors, resides at 188-196 Regent Street, London. At the end of 2013 Hamleys has 31 international stores across Europe, Middle East, India and Asia operated through franchising. With a further 9 stores in the UK and Ireland, operated by Hamleys, the number of stores is 40 worldwide.