Toy purchasers have spent months praying to the plastic gods for the return of Toys “R” Us. Now, it appears they may have listened as new reports indicate the owners of the Toys “R” Us brand are aiming to launch a new set of stores in the United States.
First reported by CNN, the new owners of the company have started planning on how to make a re-entrance to markets across the United States.
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“We have significant interest about how to bring the brand back to the US,” new Toys “R” Us CEO Richard Barry told CNN. “We’re talking to a whole series of different companies, some are existing retailers, some tech companies.”
Barry, the former chief merchandising officer at the previous iteration of the retailer, made sure to mention they’re working around the clock on ways to bring the company back stateside.
“We’re working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to bring it to life. At this point we’re not ready commit to what that might look like.”
After declining sales thanks to the advancements of technology and online retailers, Toys “R” Us shuttered the remaining 700 stores in the United States last year. As of now, the company’s new owner has kept over 900 stores open internationally — in Asia, Europe, and India — under the Toys”R” Us brand name.
The latest news from Barry comes on the heels of reports last month revealing former Toys “R” Us executives had begun laying the groundwork for bringing the brand back stateside. This group of executives — which includes Barry, legal counsel Jamie Young, merchandiser Matt Finnegan, and financier Rich Ryan — formed Tru Kids Inc. Tru Kids Inc. is the entity that currently owns the various trademarks involved with the retail chain, including Toys “R” Us, Babies “R” Us, and the likeness of Geoffrey the Giraffe.
After filing for bankruptcy last year, Toys “R” Us partnered with grocery chain Kroger this past holiday season to place pop-up shops in stores across the country under the Geoffrey’s Toy Box name. It appears Tru Kids Inc. is hoping to expand on the Geoffrey’s Toy Box idea and make a return to full brick-and-mortar stores.
Are you excited for the potential return of Toys “R” Us? With the retail gone, where have you been doing the bulk of your toys purchasing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
