The Last Company-Owned Hobbes & Landes Store Bites the Dust

Hobbes & Landes, a toy and hobby shop popular for its selection of imported toys and board games, is closing its last company-owned physical store at Bonifacio High Street in Taguig.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the company said its last day of operations is on January 31, 2022.

“It has become unfeasible for us to keep the business running in these difficult times,” the company said.

Customers who still have gift certificates may be able to redeem them at the store before it closes up shop for good.

Founded in 2002, Hobbes and Landes was one of the country’s largest specialty retailers focusing on toys and hobbies. As recently as 2016, the company had at least 10 branches nationwide. Branches in Greenbelt 5, and Powerplant Mall in Rockwell, Makati had earlier closed, as well as the one in Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa.

There is one other Hobbes & Landes store left: a licensee branch located in Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City, which is still open as of this writing.

In a previous story on Forbes Philippines, a representative of Hobbes & Landes said that the renewed interest in board games in 2016 resulted in a marked increase in sales, especially for its most popular board games: Jenga, Chess, Monopoly, Catan, Cranium, Taboo, Gestures, Risk, and Scarttergories. 

“In spite of the prevalence of modern technology, people still seek for a more interactive pastime, which they can get from playing board games,” the representative said. 

Despite the closure of its physical stores, Hobbes & Landes continues to maintain a presence virtually, including its online sales channels on its own website and on Lazada and Shopee.