Thalia Expands Its Reach by Acquiring Two Toy Companies

The German bookseller Thalia is making significant strides in the toy market by announcing the acquisition of two toy companies, Spielwaren Krömer GmbH and Toysino GmbH. This strategic move comes as traditional toy retailers face increasing challenges in urban centers, with many closing their doors.

Thalia, headquartered in Hagen, previously ventured into the toy industry by acquiring Mukk, a toy retailer with a prominent location in Münster's old town, last year. Now, the company is set to expand its portfolio further with the upcoming acquisition of Krömer and Toysino, slated for October 2025, pending approval from antitrust authorities.

Both toy firms, currently owned by brothers Christian and Daniel Krömer, are based in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria. Spielwaren Krömer operates 18 stores across Bavaria, while Toysino boasts a presence of 21 locations nationwide. Notably, Toysino was formerly known as myToys, which the Krömer brothers acquired from the Otto Group in 2023 before rebranding it.

Thalia has committed to maintaining all 39 stores belonging to Krömer and Toysino, ensuring that existing jobs remain intact. The specific terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed, but the Krömer brothers will continue to play a role within Thalia, taking on leadership positions in the newly formed toy retail segment.

This acquisition is part of a broader trend in the toy industry, where the retail landscape is undergoing significant transformation. Many parents now prefer to shop for toys online, leading to a decline in physical toy stores. In response to this shift, various retailers, including drugstore chains like Müller and dm, are seizing the opportunity to fill the void left by traditional toy shops by expanding their product offerings to include toys.

Thalia's expansion into the toy market aligns with its evolution from a solely book retailer to a comprehensive supplier of various products, including stationery, calendars, and gift items. The company aims to leverage its expertise in children's literature to enhance the selection of children's books available in the newly acquired stores, although it does not plan to introduce adult books into this segment.

Ingo Kretzschmar, the CEO of Thalia, emphasized the importance of this acquisition, stating that both Krömer and Toysino are well-established players in the German toy market. As many traditional toy retailers withdraw from urban centers, Thalia's goal is to actively counter this trend by establishing attractive retail locations as anchor points in city environments.

Christian Krömer expressed optimism about the merger, highlighting the potential benefits for customers and employees alike. He believes that by combining their expertise in toy retail with Thalia's extensive infrastructure, they can provide significant advantages to their clientele and foster a secure future for their teams.