Mastermind Toys, Canada’s leading specialty toy and children’s lifestyle retailer, has made a bold entry into Quebec with its first downtown Montreal flagship—a landmark opening that signals a new chapter for experiential retail and family engagement in the province. The new store, branded Lajoué signé Mastermind Toys x Coco Village, spans a spacious 6,900 square feet over two levels in the iconic Cours Mont-Royal shopping centre, and officially opened its doors on October 18, 2025.
A Quebec Debut: Purposeful Play Meets Local Flavor
The debut francophone flagship is much more than a simple retail outlet—it’s a destination for play, imagination, and discovery designed to reflect Montreal’s vibrant culture and the values of curious families. As Canada’s largest specialty toy and book retailer, Mastermind Toys has been nurturing the transformative power of play, inspiring generations across its stores coast-to-coast. Now, the Montreal flagship aims to bring joy and imagination to families across Quebec summarized by CEO John Bayliss.
The store is purpose-built for hands-on engagement, featuring interactive play stations, bilingual signage, and space for community events like Pokémon trading sessions, craft-making, and Lego days—activities designed to delight, inspire, and create lasting memories for kids and parents alike.
Partnering for Innovation: Coco Village Collaboration
A key feature of the new store is its partnership with Coco Village, a Quebec-based French-Canadian design-led brand known for modern toys, children’s furniture, and décor. The collaboration brings a curated selection of Coco Village’s products under the Mastermind umbrella, deepening the retailer’s local ties and extending its offerings beyond traditional toys to include baby apparel and exclusive brands like Rise Little Earthling and the Ms. Rachel collection.
Stéphane Tétrault, founder of Imports Dragon and co-owner of McFarlane Toys, recently joined Mastermind Toys as an investor and partner. His expertise in licensing and innovation will support the brand’s expansion, curation, and growth strategy. Tétrault notes, “Mastermind Toys is a dynamic, forward-looking company committed to bringing discerning parents the very best in toys, books, and children’s lifestyle brands that support development through play,” said Tétrault. “I share that commitment and I’m excited to contribute my experience in licensing and product innovation. Together, we will build on Mastermind’s 40-year heritage of play-based learning and drive its next phase of growth as Canada’s premier specialty toy retailer.”
Experiential Retail: Why Montreal, Why Now?
Mastermind’s new format is a response to growing consumer demand for interactive, community-centered retail. The bilingual store is staffed by play experts trained to guide shoppers with recommendations for purposeful gifts that nurture children’s curiosity and development—a hallmark of the brand’s Play with Purpose mission.
CEO John Bayliss shares that every product in their collection is thoughtfully chosen to inspire curiosity, creativity, and happiness in children and families alike. He emphasizes that the brand isn’t just a retail space—it’s a community hub where families, teachers, and neighbours come together to learn, explore, and connect. Each store is carefully designed to be more than a shopping destination; it’s a place that encourages discovery, imagination, and meaningful shared experiences that leave lasting memories for everyone who visits.
This dedication to experiential learning flies in the face of digital-first toy selling, bringing back the power of tactile trial, in-person connection, and discovery-based shopping. “We are reinventing ourselves to make sure we are meeting needs,” Bayliss adds, highlighting the brand’s evolution in the age of online retail and personal electronics.
A Community Hub for Quebec Families
The flagship offers year-round programming and special events, from playdate socials to craft days. Come discover our first ever permanent store in downtown Montreal, the brand announced to followers, promising excitement, play, and creative activities for visitors of all ages. The partnership with Coco Village amplifies local relevance, and by expanding into apparel, décor, and design, Mastermind Toys positions itself as a broader children’s lifestyle destination for Quebec.
The store’s launch comes as part of a larger national expansion, with Quebec identified as a priority market—Mastermind Toys has already mapped out 18 to 20 potential stores in the province to follow its Montreal debut. This aggressive growth reflects a commitment to serve the unique needs of Quebec’s communities with tailored formats and exclusive partnerships.
