The shop is considered the biggest sports store in the country, with a 1,000 square meter area, and is also one of the biggest in Asia. Toby's Arena has a stadium-like atmosphere - with a 30-foot high ceiling with exposed steel trusses and stylized bleachers section. But perhaps the most impressive addition in the shop are the automatic ball pitching machine, "Toby's Shootout," "The Rock," and the full-sized badminton court.

The aim of setting up these equipments and areas is to exercise the sensory and interactive feel of Toby's Arena, making each customer's visit to the store not just a shopping trip but a total sports experience. It also allows customers not just to try out the various sports products and equipment before they actually make that purchase, but discover different sports activities as well.

"We wanted a store that would convey the same kind of excitement we experience watching games at the Stanford University Stadium back in the 80's," said Toby Claudio, eldest son of the store's founder and the company's Operations Manager. "It's a thrill of being in an action-packed sports event."

Perhaps the most interactive place inside the Arena is Toby's Shootout - a basketball halfcourt with a digital timer and scoreboard. Basketball lovers don't just get to try their basketball gear in this area. For hikers and mountaineers, The Rock is where they can test both their skills and equipment in three different levels.

Tennis, softball, and baseball players can take a few hits with their gear and an automatic ball pitching machine while Table Tennis fanatics can go one-on-one with the shop's table tennis robot. And Baddicts (shor for "Badminton addicts) need not to go far to test their new gear, for the badminton court inside the Arena is the place to be.

If you can't visit the actual store, you can check their website at www.tobys.com. Here, you can check out the availability of the different products and compare specs of the gear you want to get. And you can subscribe to their newsletter so you stay updated on items on sale and different events that will be held at Toby's Sports.

"This store showcases the latest and the most cutting-edge sports equipment from all the major brands. All the new products of the major brands want to launch it here at Toby's Arena Glorietta, which is our flagship store," Toby's said.

With their promotion on sports awareness, Toby's Sports will be hosting clinics, demos, exhibitions, seminars, launches, and other sports activities starting this year.

Toby's Arena was conceptualized in April 2001, where the store wasn't just a typical sports shop, but includes several interactive areas like a Wall Climb area the "Toby's Shootout" - a basketball  half-court complete with digital scoreboard and timer.

At Toby's Arena, people can look forward to experiencing a new sport every week. At the very least, it's a venue where they can hang-out, play, and choose from the widest array of sports gear in different categories," Claudio said. (Carlo S. Suerte Felipe)