Dive Brief:
- Toys R Us announced a major expansion in the U.S., with 120 new stand-alone stores opening this holiday season, the company said in a press release.
- The expansion, which is in partnership with Go Retail Group, will bring the toy retailer’s stand-alone footprint to 160 locations.
- Some stores will feature Creator Studios, a dedicated space where influencers and toy brands can create content. Select stores will also feature candy shops and cafes.
Dive Insight:
Toys R Us wants to meet customers wherever they are.
“This is a major moment for Toys R Us as we significantly expand our presence across the United States,” Jamie Uitdenhowen, executive vice president of Toys R Us at WHP Global, said in a statement.
The new locations will feature a curated selection of toys, collectibles and gifts from brands including Lego, Barbie, Pokémon and KPop Demon Hunters, among others.
The company went through a similar expansion, though on a smaller scale, around the same time last year. At that time, the company opened over 30 stores, which included flagships and seasonal holiday shops.
Outside of its stand-alone locations, the company is in Macy’s stores nationwide and also has shop-in-shop concepts at airports and with the Navy Exchange Service Command.
The company also stated that it opened a shop-in-shop location at Orlando International Airport in August, with a second scheduled to open next summer.
In anticipation of the holidays, toy brand FAO Schwarz also announced this week that it has a new Amazon storefront.
Toys R Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017 following a 20-year decline. By 2018, the company had liquidated all U.S. operations, but eventually emerged as a new company, Tru Kids. That entity sold a controlling stake to brand management specialist WHP Global in 2021. WHP Global is also the parent company of Express, Marc Jacobs, Bonobos and Anne Klein.
