MICROPLAY UNDERGOING HIP INITIATIVES
By Adnews Staff
Toronto-based Hip Interactive has announced a number of new initiatives for its national chain of franchise video game stores including a new retail look, new president and the opening of 22 new locations. Microplay's new retail look debuted on Friday with the opening of its new corporate store in Richmond Hill, Ontario. The new look features chain-link fences and cement floors designed to give the store an industrial feel. Counters designed to look like skids are meant to take a warehouse setting and move it into a retail environment. Microplay's Canadian and U.S. divisions will now be headed up by Raymond Fanning as president. Fanning comes to Microplay from Case Handyman Services in Bethesda, Maryland where he served as vice president. In his new role, he will be based out of Microplay's head office in Annapolis, Maryland. The chain will also see 16 new locations open across Canada and six new stores open in the U.S. by the end of November. The Canadian stores will be located in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan and the U.S. stores will open in North Carolina, marking the beginning of a major push for the chain into the U.S. market. The opening of the 22 locations brings the total number of Microplay stores to 99. Public relations for Hip Interactive is handled by Strategic Objectives of Toronto.