Draft:The Model Shop (Malta)
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 The Model Shop flagship store, Iklin | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founders | John Camilleri and Tony Bajada |
Number of locations | 9 |
Area served | Malta and Gozo |
| Products | Toys, games, puzzles, arts and crafts, outdoor play equipment |
| Website | modelshop |
The Model Shop is a toy retail chain based in Iklin, Malta. Founded in 1983, it operates nine outlets across Malta and Gozo and is described as Malta's largest toy retailer.[1]
History
[edit]Founding
[edit]The Model Shop was established in Iklin in December 1983 by John Camilleri and Tony Bajada. Camilleri had worked as a chief air steward with British Airways and later Air Malta, while Bajada operated a hobby shop in Paola. The two partners acquired a property in Iklin, which was at the time a largely undeveloped area, and opened a retail store combining toys and hobby products.[2]
The store's initial stock was influenced by toy brands popular in Italy at the time, including Giochi Preziosi. According to Camilleri, the concept was informed by larger toy retail formats he had observed abroad, which differed significantly from the smaller shops then available in Malta.[2]
The two founders later parted ways, with Camilleri assuming sole ownership of the business. The hobby section of the store was gradually reduced as demand for scale modelling declined, and the business shifted its focus to toy retail.[2]
John Camilleri's son, Karl Camilleri, subsequently joined the business in a management capacity.[2]
Expansion
[edit]From its original single location in Iklin, the chain expanded to multiple outlets across Malta and Gozo:
| Year | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Iklin | Original flagship store |
| 2015 | Paola | Main Street Complex; store refurbished and enlarged to over 650 m² |
| 2017 | Luqa | Third outlet |
| 2018 | Gozo | Duke's Shopping Mall; 180 m² retail space |
| 2018 | Ibraġ | Over 300 m² retail space |
| 2020 | St Paul's Bay | Over 600 m² across two floors |
| 2021 | St Julian's | Bay Street Complex |
| 2021 | Żejtun | Eighth outlet |
| 2023 | Sliema | The Plaza Shopping Centre, Level 3; ninth outlet |
40th anniversary
[edit]In 2023, the chain marked its 40th anniversary. To coincide with this, it opened its ninth outlet at The Plaza shopping centre in Sliema and launched a Christmas campaign.[1]
Products
[edit]The Model Shop stocks toys and children's products across a range of categories, including construction toys, dolls, action figures, board games, puzzles, arts and crafts materials, remote-control vehicles, baby and toddler toys, and outdoor play equipment. Brands carried include Lego, Playmobil, Mattel, Hasbro, and Crayola, among others. The chain also carries a range of boutique toy brands including Little Dutch, Janod, Trixie, Kaloo, and Lilliputiens.[1][3]
Online retail
[edit]The Model Shop operates an e-commerce store at modelshop.com.mt, offering next-day delivery across Malta on orders placed before noon, along with a gift-wrapping service.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "The Model Shop opens new outlet at The Plaza in Sliema". Times of Malta. 8 December 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 Calleja, Claudia (19 August 2023). "40 years ago, a toy shop opened in the middle of nowhere". Times of Malta.
- ↑ "You Voted: The Four Best Companies in Malta for Kids' Toys and Supplies". MiniMalta.com. 25 November 2020.
External links
[edit]Category:Toy retailers Category:Companies established in 1983 Category:Iklin Category:Maltese brands