Ahead of the holiday shopping rush, the once-dominant toy retailer Toys R Us is opening several new flagship and seasonal stores, including at least two in California.
Toys R Us plans to open eight flagship stores and 20 seasonal locations across the U.S. in the coming weeks. The company has been struggling to rebound since it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2017.
After bankruptcy, the company closed hundreds of locations and shut down its brick-and-mortar operations. Tru Kids Brands made a failed attempt to relaunch the company before New York-based WHP Global acquired a controlling interest in 2021.
Toys R Us has since partnered with Macy’s to open shop-in-shop locations and is working with Go! Retail Group for further expansion.
It reopened its first flagship store in 2021 at the American Dream mall in New Jersey.
The new California locations include a flagship store at the Camarillo Premium Outlets in Ventura County and a seasonal store on Bay Street in Emeryville. Other locations will open in Texas, Colorado and New York.
The commercial and retail research group CoStar also reported that a pop-up Toys R Us is slated to open in Brentwood in the Bay Area. The new locations will carry popular brands including Lego, Barbie and Hot Wheels.
“This next phase of growth brings the magic of Toys R Us to even more communities across the country — just in time for the holidays,” Jamie Uitdenhowen, executive vice president of Toys R Us at WHP Global, said in a statement.
Toys R Us was founded in Washington in 1948.
Before its recent hurdles, it was a household name for children’s toys and gifts, widely recognized by its mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe.
It had more than 700 locations and was a leader in the toy market at its peak.
“This holiday marks an important step in our expansion strategy for the Toys R Us brand,” said Gideon Schlessinger, chief executive of Go! Retail Group. “Through both flagship stores and seasonal holiday shops, we are delivering the same experience nationwide, strengthening our presence while meeting consumer demand during the most important season of the year.”
