Toys “R” Us is making a return in a big way as its parent company has announced a major expansion of the brand and stores to air, land, and sea!
The popular toy company (I can recall buying Hod Rod from Transformers there as a kid and having many fond memories of visiting the store) was first founded in 1948, and the store as we know it was first launched in 1957 featuring endless aisles of wonderful games, toys, and loads more.
However, in 2017 the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and on June 29, 2018, Toys “R” Us permanently closed all of its remaining U.S. locations, after 70 years of operations.
Suffice it to say, shopping for toys hasn’t been the same since.
Toys “R” Us is back with bold new plans
The good new is that Toys “R” Us is back.
Per the official announcement, WHP Global, the parent company of Toys”R” Us, has unveiled bold new plans for the expansion of the iconic toy brand.
The Company announced on Friday a partnership with Go! Retail Group to roll out Toys”R” Us flagship stores nationwide in the U.S. beginning in 2024.
In addition, WHP is set to bring Toys”R” Us to the travel industry with a new retail experience for airports and cruise ships. The first Toys”R” Us airport store will open in November at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport through a partnership with Duty Free Americas.
“The Toys ‘R’ Us brand is growing fast and our expansion into air, land and sea is a testament to the brand’s strength,” said Yehuda Shmidman, Chairman and CEO of WHP Global. “Since acquiring Toys ‘R’ Us, we have increased our global retail footprint by more than 50% with openings in the United States, United Kingdom, India, Dubai, and Mexico.
We now have over 1,400 stores and e-commerce sites across 31 countries, and as we head into 2024, we are excited to bring Toys ‘R’ Us to consumers everywhere, whether you’re visiting one of our stores at Macy’s, at our flagships, in an airport, or onboard a cruise ship.”
You could probably buy a house now with this entire aisle of boxed ninja turtles toys. From a Toy-R-Us in 1991. pic.twitter.com/M7zjkEtVvC
— Jason Horn (@newjasonhorn) September 30, 2023
Flagship stores will open in prime locations
Toys”R” Us marked its return in the U.S., opening a 20,000 sq ft. flagship at American Dream in 2021, followed by the launch of 452 Toys”R” Us shops at Macy’s stores nationwide in 2022.
In partnership with Go! Retail Group, Toys”R” Us flagship stores will open in prime locations that complement the existing retail footprint at Macy’s.
Similar to the global flagship at American Dream, the new flagship stores will serve as epicenters of immersive fun, providing customers with a destination to explore and discover the hottest toys.
“As a specialty retailer and with deep roots in the toy and game industry, we are thrilled and honored to partner with WHP Global to expand the base of Toys ‘R’ Us flagship stores,” said Gideon Schlessinger, CEO of Go! Retail Group. “With over 30 years of experience in all 50 states, our focus will be to do what we do best — provide valuable brick-and-mortar logistics and operational excellence to this iconic brand.”
✨Day 5️⃣ #GeoffreysHotToyList Sweepstakes✨ It’s your chance to win* Geoffrey’s fifth pick: #FisherPrice DJ Bouncin' Beats Interactive Musical Learning Toy 🤩🎶 Why we love it? The DJ Bouncin' Beats toy helps keep little dancers wiggling, giggling and learning as they grow with… pic.twitter.com/DsLiMR3XzV
— Toys"R"Us (@ToysRUs) September 30, 2023
Toys”R” Us opening in airports and cruise industry
In early November, the first Toys”R” Us airport store will open in Terminal A at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, the world’s second busiest airport.
This first-of-its-kind airport store will open in time for the busy holiday season and will be operated by leading travel retailer Duty Free Americas. Passengers will be able to shop for their favorite toy brands and exclusive regional merchandise from the new Toys”R” Us airport store.
As the travel retail market continues to rise, Toys”R” Us has embarked on designing a retail experience for the cruise industry.
This innovative retail store will offer a wide range of toys and exclusive cruise-themed merchandise for children and families during their voyages, ensuring that the magic of Toys”R” Us is accessible to consumers wherever their adventures take them.
For more than 70 years, Toys”R” Us has been a global leader in the toy category celebrating the joys of childhood and play with kids of all ages.
Geoffrey the Giraffe™, the beloved mascot of Toys”R” Us, is adored by millions of kids and their families around the world. The brand generates more than USD$2 billion in global retail sales annually through 1,400 stores and e-commerce businesses in 31 countries.
