Toys R Us, the toy giant, is rising like a phoenix, or at least that’s how some describe it. The New York-based giant is expanding by launching its 100 Days of Toys promotion and revealing that 30 new locations are on the way. The previously dormant retail chain is continuing its comeback with the planned opening of 10 permanent stores and 20 pop-up stores before the holidays. The store’s most loyal shoppers are applauding the news, especially with Halloween and Christmas right around the corner.
The toy giant failed to cope with and adapt to the social and technological changes of the 2000s
For those who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, or who raised children during those years, you know that Toys R Us was iconic. Whether it was shopping for toys or taking the kids to the store, it was an experience, a total success. But the fact is that the toy giant failed to cope with and adapt to the social and technological changes of the 2000s. The retailer filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and closed hundreds of locations by 2028. The chain was acquired by WHP Global in 2021, which has since been working to relaunch the iconic brand.
The fact is that the parent company has been actively implementing new initiatives to revitalize Toys R Us, aiming to return it to what it once was, albeit adapted to the new generations. This includes the opening of new flagship stores and the collaboration with Macy’s to create hundreds of shops-within-shops. The retailer plans to open 10 new flagship stores nationwide, as well as 20 pop-up stores for the holidays before the end of the year. It’s the continuation of a comeback that seemed almost impossible after the decline of 2017.
The beloved toy brand has opened flagship stores in American Dream, New Jersey, and the Mall of America…
Specifically, of the 10 new locations listed on the corporate website, three stores are in California and one new store each in Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, and Nebraska. Under the leadership of WHP Global, the beloved toy brand has opened flagship stores in American Dream, New Jersey, and the Mall of America, Minnesota, in addition to an exclusive store at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport and branches in Illinois, Michigan, California, and other states. Little by little, the company is beginning to sow the new seed to continue creating a similar empire, but adapted.
The historic store opened its first location in 1957, in Maryland. And that was the first time citizens began to hear about Toys R Us, a store with everything any child would want in their room. In its prime, it was a giant that was pushing out other popular retailers, such as Child World and Lionel Kiddie City, which ultimately went bankrupt. It was precisely during this time, in the 1990s, that its international expansion began, with branches in Canada, Singapore, and Spain.
We’ll be waiting for the new era of Toys R Us
For now, Toys “R” Us is working to regain its leadership in the US toy market, during a time that is typically profitable for these types of stores. This is the second attempt, so to speak, after the creation in 2019 of Geoffrey’s Toy Box, a limited retail experience named after the giraffe mascot that sold toys previously exclusive to Toys “R” Us, appeared in more than 600 Kroger stores. The following year, it opened stores in New Jersey and Texas, but those didn’t survive the pandemic.
Charles Lazarus, the founder of Toys R Us, retired as CEO in 1994, when Toys R Us operated 739 stores in the United States and more than 750 abroad. But soon after, with the arrival of Walmart, Costco, and then Amazon, the supply and prices became so competitive that the toy giant’s decline began. This risky and powerful bet hadn’t been this strong until now, so we’ll be waiting for the new era of Toys R Us.
