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Private company

Otto Simon

Dutch toy importer

Otto Simon is a Dutch importer, distributor, and franchiser of toys and homeware, headquartered in Almelo.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1911Founded1
  • HeadquartersAlmelo1
  • Legal formbesloten vennootschap1

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Otto Simon is a Dutch importer, distributor, and franchiser of toys and homeware, headquartered in Almelo.2

Corporate structure

Otto Simon sits at the top of its group. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

  • Otto Simon Almelo

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

The story

The company was founded in 1911 by Otto Simon. At that time it was mainly a peddler company, specializing in beads and glassware. After the World War II, the emphasis shifted more to toys. In 1955 the company became a private company. Until 1970 the company was independent and grew into one of the largest toy importers in Europe. Domestically, it had a market share of 80%.

Since 1997 the company has evolved from a wholesaler into a retail organisation, with its own toy formulas Speelboom, Wigwam, Technohobby and Early Learning Centre. In 1999 the ELC formula was discontinued and in 2000 the formulas Wigwam and Speelboom were transferred to the new formula Top1Toys. In 2003, Ruud Schiphorst became the new owner of Otto Simon.

In 2021 Marskramer, Novy, Prima, Wholesaler Gouda and Toys2Play were acquired from the Audax Groep. In 2025, several branches of the bankrupt Blokker chain joined the Marskramer brand.

From Wikipedia’s article on Otto Simon, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Products and brands

Top1Toys

Otto Simon's toy stores Wigwam and Speelboom were combined under the formula Top1Toys in 2000. The chain had 110 stores in 2021. On 1 April 2023, it had 101 stores.

Marskramer

Marskramer is a chain of 39 stores (in November 2020) that sell homeware. If the store is also a Toys2Play shop, it also sells toys. It was acquired by Audax in 2019 from the Mirage Retail Group. The chain has 47 stores on 1 April 2023. After some former Blokker stores joined the chain, Marksramer has about 60 branches in 2025.

From Wikipedia’s article on Otto Simon, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Subsidiaries and ownership

Subsidiaries

From Wikidata.1

Acquisitions

  1. 2021Acquired Marskramer1

Timeline

  1. 1911Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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