The Entertainer is one of the United Kingdom’s most iconic toy stores. It has a huge range of toys, from LEGO to Playmobil, to WWE and far beyond.
However, one of the most glaring omissions from The Entertainer stores is anything Harry Potter related. But why is this? Read on below for more.
Background
The Entertainer has over 170 stores in the United Kingdom at the time of writing. It was founded in 1981 by Gary Grant.
The company is well-known for its Christian ethos, which dominates multiple areas of the business. This is key for its decision making.
Not selling Harry Potter products and merchandise
The reason that The Entertainer doesn’t sell Harry Potter products and merchandise is due to the Christian beliefs of the founder.
Harry Potter is linked to witchcraft, and for some – the occult. These areas are at odds with Christianity, and it therefore poses a problem for any Christian when this is being championed.
Grant spoke about his decision through website Retail Gazette. In this interview, he said that “we’re Christians, and therefore it’s important for us that we live out our Christian faith”.
Grant explains that “with regards to product selection, there are many types of toys, that because of their background, or their ethos, I don’t necessarily feel comfortable in selling them” – which Harry Potter falls into.
Continuing, Grant points out that “we’re endorsing what we sell in our stores”, which therefore results in the belief that in doing so, that they are then “saying this is absolutely fine”.
However, Grant says that if it “not absolutely fine, then it’s in conflict with our beliefs. There’s many reasons why we don’t buy certain toys, we might think they’re overpriced, we might not like the quality of the toy”.
Grant went on to say that “people might say you’re making a big stand on something, but nobody’s ever heard me say that we should ban Harry Potter and burn the balls and be like that”.
Instead, Grant says that “there are products that I just don’t feel at ease with, and Harry Potter is one of them.”
Grant also correctly – albeit tongue in cheek – points out that “even if you were standing in the street giving £10 notes away, somebody would find something to criticise you on”!
There are a huge range of toys though that are offered. In the same interview, Grant pointed out that Star Wars and Toy Story are two staple toys. Unsurprisingly, these toys have proven very popular for many years.
Other examples of the Christian ethos espoused by The Entertainer include shutting on Sundays. Moreover, they try wherever possible to avoid laying off staff members.
The Takeaway
It is very admirable that founder Gary Grant has put his beliefs over profit. He has neglected a large market in order to follow his beliefs, which is very respectful.
Staying true to your beliefs is an excellent quality to have. The Entertainer and Gary Grant will hopefully continue to thrive.
