Asian toy retailer Miniso opens second local store in six months

The soon-to-open Miniso at 7801 W. Broad St. (Jackie DiBartolomeo photos)

Another Miniso store is coming to the Richmond area next month, this time in the Olde Towne Shopping Center in Henrico. 

The franchised Asian toy retailer will host a grand opening of its new location at 7801 W. Broad St. at 11 a.m. May 3, according to a release from the company. 

It’s the second Miniso to open locally in the past six months. The first was in Short Pump Town Center at 11800 W. Broad St. last November. 

The retail chain is known for its toys, plushies, stationery and other trinkets. Though Chinese, the company has capitalized on the international craze for Japanese brands like Uniqlo and Muji.

The store has gained traction for its “blind boxes,” mystery figurines from popular brands like Sanrio and Disney. The boxes, whose figures are concealed until after purchase, have become something of a retail craze in the past year.

Cognitive Market Research estimated the global sales revenue for blind boxes in 2024 to be $14.3 billion, with $4.5 billion coming from the U.S. alone as Miniso and other blind box retailers like Pop Mart have grown to more locations.

Miniso was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Guangzhou, China. The brand now has over 7,000 locations internationally and over 250 stores in the U.S. Miniso will have 10 locations in Virginia by the opening of the West Broad Street location, a Miniso spokesperson confirmed. While most are in northern Virginia, Miniso also has locations in Colonial Heights and Chesapeake.

This Miniso location is a corporate location, the Miniso spokesperson said.  

According to the Miniso website, the initial investment needed to start a Miniso franchise store is between $250,800 and $485,500 and requires a net worth of $1 million.

The new Olde Towne Shopping Center Miniso location spans 5,000-square-feet in a space previously occupied by Anytime Fitness. The gym chain had operated there since 2016. It’s unclear when it closed, though Anytime continues to have two other Richmond locations, as well as locations in nearby Chester, Mechanicsville and Ashland.

Other tenants in the shopping center include Buffalo Wild Wings, RVA Pharmacy and seafood restaurant and bar Tasty Crab. Korean grocer Lotte Plaza Market drew buzz last year when it opened in the shopping center.

Olde Towne Shopping Center is owned by California-based Capstone Advisors, which also owns Dillingham Square in Lake Ridge, Virginia. 

Colliers International’s Robby Brownfield and Rob Black represented the landlord in Miniso’s lease. Peter Vick and Harrison Hall, also with Colliers, represented Miniso. Colliers’ Robin Chamberlin manages the property.  

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