news Good-bye Toys R Us?. Store may close down starting next week

[Toastypk 923]

17 minutes ago, Anneal said:

Yeah, I've been predicting this for a while now even since my home city closed down the vast majority of Toys R' Us. There's one in my neighborhood but it's virtually empty and on the verge of closing down as well. I have memories of going to Toys R' Us when I was much younger, but honestly, it's mostly their fault for failing to adapt to new demands. It's not only because they don't delve enough into the digital market, but they also fail to give out a good response to online competitors as well. Anything you can buy on Toys R' Us, you can always just buy on Amazon, sometimes for a lower price. And in some places, sometimes it's just easier to purchase stuff online rather than possibly drive 30 minutes to your nearest store. 

Mine is real close to where I am, and I've never ever seen it with any issues. In fact on weekends there's a fairly moderate amount of cars there.

[SaburoDaimando 1,196]

Today is suppose to be the day that Toys R Us makes that ill-fated announcement: The closure of all its stores.

And if you ask me why they're going down, it's ironically not because of Amazon or the rise of digital electronics.  It was more Bain Capital, which bought out the company and loaded it with tons of debt.

[PinkiePie97 913]

Toys R Us is planning to close or sell all their U.S. stores.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/03/14/toys-r-us-told-employees-wednesday-planning-sell-close-all-its-u-s-stores-and-file-liquidation-paper/426292002/

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

I used to love going to Toys R Us just to browse with either mom or dad. Heh, I remember when dad promised me I could get a new toy if I made a certain number of shots in basketball...but when I made a buzzer beater to win us the game...he DEFINITELY took me there. Sad it's going away....it was literally a child's paradise back in my younger days...

[BrawnyCharger 511]

I always enjoyed Toys R Us even as an adult. Some of my favorite things to get there were:

• MLP:FIM toys (of course)
• Power Rangers action figures
• video games
• WWF/E action figures
• Batman figures
• Pokemon toys.
• etc.

[PinkiePie97 913]

I’m not sure what to believe now. According to CNBC, Toys R Us is exploring a plan that could keep 200 stores open after liquidation.

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/03/14/toys-r-us-is-exploring-a-plan-that-could-keep-200-stores-open-even-after-liquidation.html?__twitter_impression=true

EDIT: Just took a better look at the article and this might fall into the sell portion of my previous post.

Edited March 14, 2018 by PinkiePie97

[The Recherche 29,968]

Honestly, even assuming Toys 'R Us does keep 200 of their stores open, they'll really just be delaying the inevitable. It hurts to say, but I'm not seeing Toys 'R Us rising from the ashes. 

[SharpWit 2,641]

I honestly don't know how they could have stayed open. Parents might enjoy seeing how their children's faces brighten upon entering what was essentially heaven for them, but few people want to go out of their way to a place that is so specialized, when most big box stores allow you not only a decent toy isle, but all of your other shopping needs.

I do feel a bit sad when stores like Toys"R"Us and others I am fond of start closing down their locations, but then I think back to the last time I went to them which turns out to usually have been a few years, and realize I'm part of why they are going away. The last time I went to Toys"R"Us, the Vulcan Nerf gun was still new, and that was about 10 years ago. Before that, I went in a few years earlier to get a bike, and both times the stores were nearly empty. If anything it's amazing that they've lasted this long. Good news is the toys won't be going anywhere and you can always purchase them from other suppliers online.

[Steve Piranha 29,421]

I'll check tomorrow if my local TRU has an out of business sale, I could buy a horse or two

[Olly 1,011]

Had to happen eventually. I've known that for years

 

sad but, we gotta take toy r us out back like old yeller

[ThunderCrush 1,850]

*sigh* A lot of my childhood is from there. It will definitely be missed.

[The Recherche 29,968]

Here's an interesting update for you guys and gals: Apparently a GoFundMe has been started to attempt to pull Toys 'R Us from death's grasp.

https://www.gofundme.com/helpsavetoysrus

I honestly don't think it's going to work, even assuming it reaches its goal, but I'll leave the rest up to you to decide! 

[PinkiePie97 913]

Around the same time all of this is happening, Toys R Us founder Charles Lazarus has died.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43505064

[Wingnut 6,989]

24 minutes ago, PinkiePie97 said:

Around the same time all of this is happening, Toys R Us founder Charles Lazarus has died.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43505064

I was just about to post a news link myself. Poor guy must have died from grief.  

[Toastypk 923]

1 hour ago, Recherche said:

Here's an interesting update for you guys and gals: Apparently a GoFundMe has been started to attempt to pull Toys 'R Us from death's grasp.

https://www.gofundme.com/helpsavetoysrus

I honestly don't think it's going to work, even assuming it reaches its goal, but I'll leave the rest up to you to decide! 

Anyone have millions of dollars handy?

I mean, Facebook lost $50 billion, where is that? Maybe some of that money can be used to fund something better than Facebook...

[Vocal Analyst 665]

Sad to see Toys R Us go... so many childhood memories fo going down every fortnight or so when I was a kid to pick up the latest Beast Wars, Digimon & WWE toys as well as buying Dreamcast & Gamecube games at a hefty premium.

I went into that local store as TRU have had clearance sales in their UK stores before the US ones and to see a place where I had fond memories reduced to empty shelves and a lack of atmosphere. I'd have bought something if they weren't out of stuff I'd buy.

[Earl Grey Ghost 446]

So I have mixed feelings. I read an article and  YouTube series on why it was closing down and it makes sense. I do but do not have fond memories of Toys R Us. Business is fickle, and if people aren't buying, the business will suffer.

 

It is really sad though, they were a great, strong business for years. Though, I won't lie; in the past few years when I've gone in there looking for Pony Merch, the stores just seemed so depressing and sad. Having next to nothing to offer, shelves pretty bare----eh. It's a shame.

[ChB 18,550]

This is so sad. I'm going to miss Toys R Us. I don't shop there much anymore, but it brings back so many memories of my childhood.

[GrimGrimoire 4,973]

Good bye Toys r' Us. Let it be a lesson how not to run a business. Pay your debts or get buried in them later.

Was a great place when i was a kid though.

[碇 シンジン 27,431]

they have good business here at least so i guess they didnt do enough there and didnt get much going on  too bad that the hit on the brand might likely affect the business here too even though they have no financical issues 

[PinkiePie97 913]

Final message on their website:

[YoshiAngemon 223]

I'm glad the TRU is still going, even in liquidation. Otherwise, I wouldn't even have the following:

- World of Nintendo Mario & Luigi Plushes to go with my Build-A-Bear Yoshi
- A few Animal Crossing amiibo cards
- LEGO Dimensions Starter Set with SUPERGIRL (fortunate to have found it when I did, but I just need Green Arrow to complete the set!)
- Classic Sonic Figure (Didn't ask for it, but got it)
- Monopoly: The Legend of Zelda Edition

Other than that, there reallt isn't anything that would pique my interest there.

Edited May 11, 2018 by YoshiAngemon

[Steve Piranha 29,421]

I think last thing I bought from there was a World of Nintendo Phazon Suit figure a while ago. I remember my mom buying me lots of SNES and N64 games when I was a kid 

[Steve Piranha 29,421]

Well, I’m a little late, as you probably know this already, but looks like Toys R’ Us will be saved after all, but will change it’s name to Geoffrey’s Toy Box

https://www.equestriadaily.com/2018/10/toys-r-us-converting-to-geoffreys-toy.html

It’s sad a name that made us smile in our childhoods is gone, but at least the brand, even if it’s under a different name, still lives 

[BornAgainBrony 2,397]

5 hours ago, Steve Piranha said:

Well, I’m a little late, as you probably know this already, but looks like Toys R’ Us will be saved after all, but will change it’s name to Geoffrey’s Toy Box

https://www.equestriadaily.com/2018/10/toys-r-us-converting-to-geoffreys-toy.html

It’s sad a name that made us smile in our childhoods is gone, but at least the brand, even if it’s under a different name, still lives 

Gosh, now that I work retail and am generally happy with where I am, this is going to cause some conflict in my head. I worked at TRU in the early 00's, it was actually my first real job. Unfortunately it was probably the WORST-run store in the entire chain, so while I had a lot of fun there, all of the logistic and management nightmares shied me away from it for a long time. These days I sort of think of that job as "the one that got away." While I still would've ended up hunting for a new job last year, I really wish I'd been with the company this whole time.