The Warner Bros. Studio Store was a chain of retail stores selling Looney Tunes and other merchandise based on Warner Bros. films, similar in style to The Disney Store. They first opened in 1991. In 1996, Warner Bros. owner Time Warner merged with Turner Broadcasting, which owned Hanna-Barbera and the pre-1986 MGM library, and merchandise based on Turner properties were added to the product lines. In 2001, all Warner Bros. Studio Stores went out of business. In 2006, Warner Bros. Consumer Products partnered with PMW Retail and reopened the stores in China.
Video Warner Bros. Studio Store
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the chain had outlets in various locations around London, including Regent Street, Gatwick Airport, Lakeside Shopping Centre, Bentall Shopping Centre and Bluewater Shopping Centre. There were also locations outside London such as Merry Hill Shopping Centre near Birmingham, Meadowhall Centre near Sheffield, The Oracle in Reading, Manchester, Gateshead Metro Centre, Sunderland, Glasgow, Leicester, Chester, Preston and Aberdeen.
All UK Warner Bros. Stores closed in 2004.
Maps Warner Bros. Studio Store
Republic of Ireland
There were two stores in the Republic of Ireland: one in the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre and another in the Blanchardstown Centre in Dublin. Both closed in 2004.
The Middle East
In 1998, a franchise agreement was entered into to bring Warner Bros Studio Stores to the Middle East. Three flagship stores were opened: two in Saudi Arabia, in Jeddah and Al Khobar; another in Dubai. These stores opened with considerable success, but were closed by 2001.
Australia
Several stores existed in Queensland, Australia, near the location of Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast. These have all since been closed.
There were also stores at Watergardens Shopping Centre and Eastland Shopping Centre in Melbourne in the early to mid 2000s.
The flagship store at Crown Casino Melbourne was in operation from 1997 until March 19, 2008. Once the Australian licence expired and was not renewed, the store underwent a name change from Warner Bros. Studio Store to Studio Store Entertainment. This title was used until the existing lease ran out and the store closed its doors for the final time. Former employees and customers alike remember this store fondly.
Thailand
A handful of stores also existed in Thailand. The first store opened in CentralPlaza Ladprao in Bangkok in 2002. There were also stores located in Khonkaen, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Koh Samui and Phuket. All stores have since closed down.
External links
- WBShop.com (official website)
- Press Release on Macau Opening
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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