Toys R Us Is Back! (Kind of...) | Retail Archaeology

Toys R Us Is Back! (Kind of...). Let's take a look at the new Toys R Us pop up stores inside Macy's department stores.
My 2nd channel: / ra2channel
Social Media:
Twitter: @Ret_Archaeology
Instagram: @Retailarchaeology
Facebook: @RetailArchaeology
Patreon: / retailarchaeology
#toysrus #macys #retailarchaeology

[@BrandonPenson]

It feels like a generic toy section that you could really find at ANY department store, but with a Toys "R" Us shell to bring people in. I'm old enough to remember going to places like Kay-Bee's, K-Mart and Toys "R" Us (although we mostly went here during the holidays) and seeing the store pack to the gills with toys. And I agree that the outlet store would have been a better use of both the brand and the name. Seeing that put in the mind of when malls had stores like Kay-Bee's.

[@chynnaurl]

I definitely agree! Lol

[@ZombieXCorn]

Honestly I do agree they should’ve made stores like the outlet ones rather than go to Macys. I worked for Macys, and my store was one of like 14 I believe to test out toys sold at Macys (2019.) I remember as the toy specialist I had a bunch of toys and no space at all. And that’s kinda how these Toys’R’Us’ feel. Here in Vegas we do have two locations with nicely sized tru stores tho!

[@Moonbeam143]

I hope one day Toys R Us comes back in full force. It hurts my heart to see it like this.

[@TylerMBuller12]

I don't think they will unless they start focusing on selling ipads and iphones or other electronic video games with some toys on the side.

[@therealjaystone2344]

Maybe at other countries outside of US?

[@mikebode7560]

Unfortunately this is probably the best we're going to get.

[@fastcombo33]

There is a dedicated Toys R Us store in the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, NJ.

[@knightstudio9985]

ToysRus rebrand themselves if make come called ToysRus and video games

[@andrewtaylor940]

A dead store being ressurected zombie style in the basement of a near dead store... BRILLIANT!

[@React2Quick]

Same thought exactly. How brilliant put a pop up dead store inside of another dying retailer, absolutely the best decision ever.

[@NintendoSEGAreviewer]

Macy’s is not dying. It’s actually doing pretty well.

[@reililithbob5541]

This sounds like edp’s next idea to get kids

[@FuzionnDaGoat]

How is macys dying….

[@mstrikesback168]

@@NintendoSEGAreviewer I guess it just looks dead. I never see anyone in there. Even this video gives that impression. But alas, Macy's is still here.

[@sonicmoremusic1]

We still have full size Toys R Us stores in Canada, and they are still overpriced...you can have them.

[@prettynoose888]

I'm shocked at how empty the stores are, here in Australia where I live the shopping malls are always packed with people.

[@taimaishu-nao1922]

Mate, it’s likely because they’re trying to escape the heat of the upcoming summer there. But then again, you live in a country where Kmart still exists but Target doesn’t. Things aren’t quite the same there as it is in Eagle Land.

[@watershed44]

@prettynoose888 Most people here in the USA are totally broke, and have huge credit card debt too.

[@prettynoose888]

@@taimaishu-nao1922 I live in Sydney and the weather here has changed in the last 5 years, before 38 degrees Celsius was average but in the last 5 years it rarely goes over 30 degrees. I thought maybe online-shopping is more popular in the US. Not sure why Target closed down, the two near me were always very busy as well.

[@prettynoose888]

@@watershed44 I thought it might be related to online-shopping, maybe in the US people shop online more? Australians however are pretty well-off, many have made a lot of money with the housing boom here.

[@watershed44]

@@prettynoose888 We also have a problem with the dark people from the jungle, they like to congregate at these malls because they can r.0b. the paying white customers. So it drives away white people who want to shop safely.

[@davis6123]

If you have a chance, I’d absolutely visit a high volume Macy’s store to see how much better their big Toys R Us stores are. While Superstition is a large Macy’s, it isn’t a high-volume location.

[@BigSlotter]

I checked out the location at Scottsdale Fashion Square. That's the highest volume Macy's in AZ and a large 3 level store. The TRU section wasn't any better, was just thrown into part of the kids dept and bled into the womens apparel section as well. Was a mess, and no staff. I do think it's doing some decent business, I did buy some gifts there. I had been there with my nephew before Thanksgiving so he could pick out some gift ideas. Almost all of those items are sold out already. They did have a Geoffrey bench though at the front, more for photo taking, etc.

[@davinp]

I did have a Toys R Us Oultet store in Potomac Mills Mall which also closed in 2018. Potomac Mills Mall is a Mills Corporation mall just like Arizona Mills Mall. Potomac Mills Mall opened in 1985 and it still doing well making it one of the older Mills malls in the country

[@YakkoWarnerTower]

Toy R Us was so good and delightful back in the 90's and early 00's. It would be hella wonderful to see Toy R Us come back for the Generation Alpha kids but this store looks nostalgic.

[@Hotlog69]

It's like finding a Payless ShoeSource in a Shopko.

[@JaneDoe-ps6ve]

I miss Shopko.

[@EckhartsLadder]

Toys R Us is still thriving up here north of the broder!

[@MrAndMrsGamer]

The Macy's in downtown Chicago has a whole floor of toys and its also a Toys r Us pop up. It's fairly big!

[@dukeman3ca1]

We still have Toys R us here in Canada, and they no longer sell video games.

[@brandonlogan-v.2579]

I Can’t wait to do this again at Macy’s. Because Toys R Us has finally returned in the year 2022. I remember hearing the announcement that Toys R Us is now at Macy’s on TV last year and seeing the tease that Toys R Us with the iconic cartoon character that I use to remember in my brain is Geoffrey Giraffe. This was a dream come true for me after so long for Toys R Us after maybe 9 years of going to the most beloved Toy Store I’ve seen throughout my life, Toys R Us. *WELCOME BACK, TOYS R US!* 😇 😊

[@ShanGamer1981]

My folks would take me to greensboro nc location during the 90s, browsing gi joe toys, playing mario 64 on the demo station for the first time. When you we’re ready to buy a game getting the paper slip and taking it to the register. Sad they went away, but glad to see Jeffrey again.

[@AlexPerrine]

I was at Macys in maplewood and saw the toys r us at Macys quite fast. It definitely felt like the past, I even got an ornament from the store.

[@1gr8chef123]

You said " who wants pool toys right before x-mas?"....Speak for yourself.... We here in the upper midwest would LOVE to be able to use pool toys in December!!! HA HA HA!!!!!

[@awesomeashton]

I remember back in the old days in 2018 I was little and I always got pullback cars from Toys R Us.

[@darkwing7780]

"They did ya dirty, Geoffrey" - quote of the episode for sure ^^

[@jackietatum2245]

do you remember Lionel's Playland on Alma School and Southern? it was next to Bear Claw, and a movie theatre..

[@sherickoos]

They opened a Toys R Us at Mall of America! It's a big store! No vid game section but it is a nice store.

[@GalvanizedArt]

I do have an explanation for the spider-man guitar! it's used by a character in "spider-man: across the spider-verse", the sequel to "into the spider-verse" that was originally supposed to come out this October, but was moved to next spring. I guess they still wanted to get some of the toys out for the holidays, but why would a kid want a toy based on a movie they haven't seen, and won't be able to see until like March?

[@rockeazymatt]

I don't think Toys-R-Us pop ups within Macy's is a bad idea...Although malls and retail, in general, are in decline, I think the idea makes sense. Moms come to Macy's to buy some things and the kids hop off/wait by the toys. Or after mom is done, the kids drag mom over to the toy section and grab something on the way out. Etc, etc. Also noted, the lack of electronic/video games, but that whole market is tricky at the moment too since everything is now downloadable...As a retailer, I imagine you could only really sell peripherals and accessories and maybe hand held stuff...But even if Macy's Toys-R-Us did stock those things, I have a hard time picturing people choosing to come to the mall vs. Target or Best Buy for such items... Overall, I don't think it's a bad idea...Although a lot of us are nostalgic for the glory days of Toys-R-Us, the market is different. On a tangent, I feel like cartoon branded clothes, backpacks, and school items could do well in these pop ups.

[@heidimeiyi]

thanks for making my friday better! love these vids

[@jacobyee9173]

There is a Toys R us at the american dream mall in east rutherford

[@olbolkrypton]

we will, if they do well, like they used to when we will see big stores

[@YujiYT12]

I remember having 2 hot wheels sets and i think most of my hot wheels cars fell in a hole i remeber havivg a hot wheel shark set the memories im crying rn

[@VideosSmokin]

I think there's a full size toys r us in Orlando,fl and in Texas and New York and new jersey

[@Akotski-ys9rr]

Those boxes of toys just reminds me of getting Christmas presents

[@Aresbricyt]

the "Hello Everyone" reminded me of techno

[@ShanGamer1981]

Walmart or target should’ve bought the brand and made their toy store Toys R US.

[@bloodyl_uk]

I just had to comment on how several people are lamenting the lack of video games in the new Toys R Us, I see it as a very smart move. TRU selling games consoles and games was arrived through several means, one of which was the megastore motto; something for everyone: spiderman & bike for the boy, disney princess & bike for the girl, arts and crafts for the teen girl and mum along with electronics for the dad and teen boy (I know, I know, that's how it was back then.). Removing computer gaming and computing devices from the lineup is a very smart move, primarily because the gaming market has matured to the point where they would only be able to carry certain titles to stay in boundry, you could probably force them to carry VGs but don't ever expect to walk into a TRU and pick up a physical of Modern Warfare 2, it just won't ever happen, that's not who the new Toys R us are. By focusing on good simple playful and educational toys they are showing that they know what is good for a child and its development, I.E. Geoffrey's motto: fun toys and great friends. If only they could do a gentle marketing campaign raising awareness on how damaging bringing children up on computing devices alone can be, it first and foremost deprives them of the want and imagination to play with such simple and fun toys as those on display. After all, when you've been brought up from the get go on a Phone, Tablet, PC and Games Console, what is a plastic Spiderman guitar that makes 23 sounds to them?, unfortunately absolutely nothing.

[@Potter5416]

The toys ‘r us website is back up

[@Bigdreamer83]

That's definitely not how you bring back a toys r us. Remind me of walking into a tj Maxx or Marshall's toys section depressing.

[@southwestAZ]

Ooh yay where else in az ?! Born here from here yahll

[@bladerunner752]

This reminds me of the area they had for toys in Mervyn's back in the early and mid 80s got some of my Return of the Jedi toys there including the Jaba play set and really the size of the toys r us area in that mall Macy's is about the size toy area Mervyn's had and they carried some great stuff. Mabey they will cary better stuff soon or more variety. They need a suggestion box.

[@Thraxs7799]

They did you dirty Jeffrey 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

[@Zilla922]

My mom never took me to toys t us the only time I was there when It.was shutting down

[@AllyG-ig4yv]

I recall 2015 getting bunch of toy's @ TRU during Xmas timeframe and returning some of them but they just gave us instore credit. 🚩🚩🚩

[@ShannonBrownauthor]

That doesn't feel like a Toys R Us at all. No bikes, swingsets, big wheels, video games. Just the toys they had before with new branding. Meh. What about the stores with a Macys Backstage inside. Will that section still have its own toys? Way confusing.

[@cuddlesthetiger-mallsnmore]

This is sad. No where near what a Toys R Us is supposed to be. No bikes (I know that may be a little hard to do in Macy's), and no video games. Both of which I got for my birthday from Toys R Us as a kid. I'll always have fond memories of picking out the Mario Party 7 Gamecube bundle in my 9th birthday there, and getting a brand new Mongoose bike. I wasn't expecting much with this concept, but man they could do better than this.

[@Sp3ctralI]

Remember Hastings?

[@AidenBrayShutters]

I wish this was a cod zombies map to bring back nostalgia

[@itsbrittnaybittchh8809]

Holiday barbie looks hardly any different than she did in the 90s she needs updated

[@ajc1888]

Toy's r us will once again price their company out of business, lessons will not be learned as greed is king with these companies. If you have a local toy /collectables shop, support them, it's these shops that deserves your business. They won't rip you off , build a relationship with the owners and they will bend over backwards to help you. That's what my experiences have been like and I wouldn't have it any other way

[@davinp]

Sephora moved from JCPenney to Kohls

[@HejranBiki]

All Sephora stores from JCPenney all turned into JCPenney beauty

[@elwoodjacobs4353]

Branding a store's toy department with the name & logo of a dead purpose-built toy store doesn't count as a comeback, no matter how much the corporate suits wanna pretend it is.

[@Lio_Convoy]

TRU may have sold toys still, but that was just barely, I’d imagine. All their stock was overpriced compared to their competitors, and they rarely if ever had up to date waves or products. I may be the only one within our generation that thinks this: but Toys R Us deserved to die

[@jfwfreo]

Leveraged buyouts should be illegal IMO.

[@MsDisneylandlover]

Not me lol. 😂😂😂

[@sr92007]

Good video

[@MsDisneylandlover]

Toy US KIDS ❤

[@ZR117]

Will it return to CA?

[@RedSiegfried]

Stop saying Toys R Us is back. Just quit it. Two rows of shelves in a different department store is not Toys R Us. They've been saying it's back literally since they went out of business and it's not true.

[@AdotAy]

Not the Same

[@mattalan6618]

i dunno these Pop Up stores dont feel like an actual Toys R Us to me

[@ericacruz8261]

My mom is a Macys merchandiser for 15 years here in Tx. It’s a high volume store and I asked her recently how they going to do about Toys r Us being in the Macys. She said she they had no clue. They don’t even have any fixtures that has anything to do with toyrus or even any room. Probably just going to put the toys on shelves. She said there’s so many back stock of toys that they don’t have any clue where to put them

[@jdog1042]

In my nearest mall there is a Macy's and they had a toys r us in there! Hopefully toys r us can make a small comeback

[@stphinkle]

Wonder if they bought Surplus toys that did not sell after Toys R Us went under and then the low numbers of people shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[@galaxyforever70367]

@@stphinkle that would make sense if they were toys from 2016-18, but they’re all modern within the last year toys you’d see at Walmart or Target.

[@Larry]

Toys R us are opening pop up stores in the UK too, they're exclusive to WHSmith, which is a place that sells newspapers and magazines mostly, but also sell stationary, books and movies in larger stores. But they've been around since 1792, so one of rhe first ever stores of its kind.

[@tritosac]

I am from the U.S. and so Toys R Us was a big deal for me as a kid growing up in the 80's. I visited London many times with my parents during the 80's and Hamleys was like every child's dream come true.

[@aussiejinjo]

larry is truly everywhere on youtube

[@tubles9630]

I work at one in canada

[@CharlieFlemingOriginal]

WHSmith is so down beat though. It would have been better in Boots or John Lewis.

[@MissMTurner]

This is sad. It reminds me of the random toy section shoved in the back of Kohls stores. When I think of Toys R Us, I think of huge aisles dedicated to an entire ip or theme. Like a whole, massive Barbie section, or a bike row, or video games. It was sensory overload in the best possible way for a kid. This is just....sad.

[@melissagunn9267]

Thank you couldn't have said it better! ):

[@capone6716]

Barnes and Noble and target still carrying me rn 😢

[@Tigershark_3082]

​@@capone6716I used to rely on target a lot when I was younger, and still kinda do (but for mega construx halo stuff instead of 3.75 inch star wars stuff). Unfortunately, it's down to a micro section of a single isle for both the 3.75 inch star wars and mega construx halo stuff. Walmart has all but gotten rid of the mega construx stuff... Curse you distribution issues!!!

[@Daehawk]

The 1990s was the last good days for a lot of stores. I remember Toys R Us, Lionel Play World, Kay-Bee, Waldenbooks, Electronics Boutique, Software Etc., and so much more long gone.

[@SpinelFan64]

toys r us was still pretty good until the early 2010s

[@Cincy32]

I'd even say RadioShack, too.

[@stphinkle]

It seems like many stores from our childhoods are gone. Toys R Us, Lionel Play World, KayBee Toys, FAO Swartz, Playco, Radio Shack, Software Etc, Camelot Music, Sam Goody, Fry's Electronics, Babbages, Software Etc, Borders, Computer City, CompUSA, Incredible Universe, Circuit City, Montgomery Ward, Best, Service Merchandise, Sears, Captron Nintendo, Game Towne, SG Computers, ATC Computer, ComputerLand, etc are some of the chains I miss.

[@mariokart8715]

And Babbage’s, Kmart and Sears.

[@mikebode7560]

Internet killed the retail star...

[@PotatoVampireTaco]

I remember Toy R Us use to do Pokemon tournaments & show cased local Lego art and it bring in huge crowds. With Pokemon Go and Pokemon cards being being popular I know they can bring in people into stores if they use the brands they sell to attract an audience.

[@lvrboi92]

I remember my Mom dropping me and a friend off to Toys 'R Us for a Pokemon tournament each month, wherein they gave out "gym badges" as pins. Sigh...getting older happens to the best of us lol

[@nithia]

@@lvrboi92 I still have all of my gym badges and the little booklet you got to track your wins.

[@NISSANZ33]

I was in Canada recently and had to go to Toys r us for that sweet sweet nostalgia. This one in Calgary was packed with toys. No clothes bs taking up room

[@YKGeek]

Yeah the one here is all toys except the Babies R Us section

[@DavidTokugi44]

I’ve been to the Macy’s in my mall which is currently dying and saw the Toys R Us area and the selection was really not the best, aside the FAO Schwarz toys it was mainly a lot of clearance items or toys that you could find in the Target of the opposite wing of my mall. Truly a depressing site for sure

[@Cincy32]

Crazy to think they went from their flagship Times Square location to... this. 😐

[@sushicat.3707]

We still have TRU in Japan, and they’re crazy busy. The stores are clean and well-stocked (unlike the one near me when I lived in the US). Hamley’s (UK toy store) didn’t fare well during the pandemic because it’s very experience-based (display toys for kids to play with, performers, etc.). The one near us is now a giant gatchpon mall with a “child casino” (kids arcade, but my son calls it “child casino”).

[@Larry]

Oh, as for huge Toys R Us sized toy stores, there's an Irish toy store chain called Smyths that's exploded since the demise of toys r us, you might be seeing those in the US in the near future.

[@syxepop]

Thanks for the tip Guru Larry! Maybe someone is listening to the plea of Mattel, Hasbro and Lego and their need to bring back some form of Big Box Toy Store back into US. ...and "Hello, You!" 😁

[@Larry]

@@syxepop Considering how huge Mattel and Hasbro are, I'm surprised they haven't considered joining up and buying Toys R Us together. Wouldn't be the first time rival companies have joiined forces.

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

@@Larry I'd say Larry they need to bring back the retro appearance of toys r us again

[@masterofbloopers]

This feels like seeing an old friend you haven't seen in a while fall on hard times. All the memories of them in their prime come flooding back and it just makes you pine for the good old days. I wish them the best of luck.

[@malaise-forever]

Video games and consoles in-store is hugely unlikely. Macy's is struggling with theft and can barely keep their loss prevention teams staffed because of their extremely strict policies. One complaint (even from a known, documented shoplifter) and the whole team gets fired, then the store goes weeks or even months without LP at all.

[@otakubullfrog1665]

Part of what made the experience of going to Toys R Us so magical as a kid was the sheer size of the place. These branded toy sections don't look like places where kids could easily get lost or would beg their parents for just a little more time to look around before they have to go home.

[@jadenova]

I think at some point in the future people will get tired of the online stuff and want physical stores again.

[@JaneDoe-ps6ve]

Jade nova, I hope you’re right. I hate online shopping especially since there seems to be a porch pirate problem here in the US.

[@davideasterling2729]

The nostalgia flooded back when you brought up the lack of video games. That was my brother and my favorite part of going to Toys R Us back in the 80's, was checking out and TRYING OUT the new Nintendo games for that year. Hopefully they can resurrect Toys R Us to it's former glory. I saw a taxidermied giraffe at an oddity shop recently, and unfortunately the first thing I thought of was Geoffrey and the collapse of Toys R Us.

[@PlantKitty]

Tell them to put a little tie on him, it'll probably sell faster

[@tox9809]

I may have been born in 2010 but since my parents liked taking me places and i didn't even use youtube until mid 2015 i got to experience toys r us and my favorite thing to buy was skylanders figures and i even though i'm still a child i feel so much nostalgia and i hope they can come back like when i was 3 and a half feet tall

[@j.johnson7891]

Its still the same in Canada if you're near the border

[@tox9809]

@@j.johnson7891 yeah but unfortunately i live in Wisconsin

[@sweetkitty3249]

I'm glad that Toys R Us is trying to come back, but the way they're doing it kind of makes me sad. They seem to have lost their magic. It isn't any better than the toy section in Kohl's.

[@kingedwin]

Toys-R-Us did try to relaunch with a few pilot mall stores, emphasizing the ability to play with toys before buying. This was planned as a way to separate it from the online buying experience. It probably would have worked, had they not launched just before the pandemic.

[@Starpotion]

I recall those being pretty successful too, wonder if those plans are just on hold or if they've truly given up entirely

[@davinp]

There is a Toys R Us store in the American Mall in New Jersey

[@watershed44]

@@Starpotion They said they were still planning on opening more mall stores in the future, the only reason they postponed it was because of the plannedemic

[@jeee1074]

I visited the one in Houston at the Galleria Mall several times during the year it was open. The store really felt like a Toys R Us and had a lot of excitement. Covid is exactly what killed the concept. The store had several hands-on displays to try products out. There was also a tree house for the kids to play in at the front of the store. Nintendo had a huge display with several test consoles for people to use as well. These new Macy's departments are nothing like those stores. Some stores are better than others, but video games, collectables, bicycles, power wheels, and so much more are missing.

[@bunniesbunniesbunnie]

which is crazy dumb since covid isn't easily spread through touch, hand sanitizer is everywhere, and it's more of an airborne disease.

[@dindog22]

these feel like Macy's is just branding their toy department Toys R Us. they really should build a little Sephora style store to make it more legit

[@Wolf_90702]

So many stores could comeback if they focused on just 3 things, online shopping, quality merch, and decent prices. In a world now with cheaply made toys and merchandise in general, I think a store selling top quality goods at decent prices with decent weekend sales with top quality website and online shopping experience with great in store experience would get people to come back to brick n mortar stores.

[@oliverw.douglas285]

Radio Shack has tried the store within a store as well, with limited success. 'Radio Shack Express' stores have been popping-up inside select Hobby Towne stores. They amount to a couple of aisles in the corner, with basic Radio Shack branded DIYer supplies & some minor tools. The remainder of the Radio Shack dealer/franchise stores are slowly closing in the Midwest. In Illinois, the Yorkville & Gibson City R.S. stores within Ace Hardware are gone. And rumor has it, that the Fairbury Radio Shack - a stand-alone store, is soon to be gone as well. This effectly eliminates all Radio Shack dealer/franchise stores, in Northern & Central Illinois. The next closest store is Monroe, Wisconsin. Hello Wisconsin! :p

[@BoratWanksta]

Does New Carlisle, Indiana still have a Radio Shack dealer store? I remember noticing that, when I was looking up this town on Google street view. Too bad if the last of the Radio Shack dealer stores in Northern and central Illinois, might be all gone soon. I hope the one in Monroe, WI can hang on.

[@oliverw.douglas285]

@@BoratWanksta Good question. I haven't be to Indiana in a couple of years. I'll have to check that one out.

[@UndeadEggmiester]

This is both sad and happy news that toysrus exists in some ways. Sure it will never be as big as it was back in 80s and 90s but if somehow it can bring kids happiness then I have no problem with it.

[@jtlovescodelyoko]

It's Ok I thought it would be bigger But it doesn't feel like Toys R Us, It feels like a Tempoarty Pop Up Toys R Us in Macy's. I doubt it will grown traffic into the Macy's Store

[@Zylotic83]

There's a mall in New Jersey called The American Dream Mall and they actually have a two floored Toys R Us as its own store in the mall, I was there during the summer so it wasn't just a pop up shop for the holidays either

[@syxepop]

Some in the Dead Mall Community call that "half-baked" mall "American Nightmare" and it's the 2nd largest mall in US (after King of Prussia Mall in PA and bigger than The Mall of America in MN, whose owner owns ADM as well). AFAIK, that TRU store is THE ONLY ONE IN US outside of a Macy's "store-in-store" concept. Before someone deemed the land plot able for a mall (Jake Williams did 2 great docs on it in his Bright Sun Films channel) someone else tried to make a baseball stadium in that same lot to bring a MLB team to NJ, but the late George Steinbrenner (then owner of the New York Yankees) opposed bringing a team there as it was just a 15 minute trip from the lot to Yankee Stadium in The Bronx (probably the New York Mets would've opposed it as well), so the team was rejected for the area.

[@AntoTheAvgeek]

What if that closes too 😢😢😢😢😢

[@Gia_Marie]

These TRU in Macy's are just that, a toy section. Most that I've gone to seem to have older inventory (I'm talking pre-closure) with a small percentage of newer items. It seems that they are just testing the waters before taking the leap. With talks of many Macy's closing, I hope if all goes well, they opt to open a store within a mall/plaza like KayBee Toys.

[@emenefer]

They are! They're doing that already. My local mall has a shopspace that is being remodeled into a Toys R Us. I think it's a good idea. People still like malls.

[@andysorensen1737]

I can definitely see the smaller footprint as a trial to see how things go. Best case they get some more room next holiday season or whenever, worst case at least you tried.

[@kurisu7885]

I'm with you, opening Toys R Us standalone stores in malls might have been a smarter move, in addition I think trying to bring in stuff from other places that you can't get anywhere else might help. Of course I say that as someone who would love for there to be more places to find Gundam model kits and just more places to find import stuff in general.

[@swamppass]

This isn't the first time the TRU brand was resurrected in the US. In 2019 they attempted to launch a smaller boutique similar to the store you showed at 7:35, but I think the pandemic nipped it in the bud, because the two experimental stores closed in early 2021. I visited the one inside the Houston Galleria a few times and it was really cool. Larger brands like Hasbro, Nintendo, and Nerf had their dedicated corners, while other toys were relegated with smaller shelving units. There was a big playground at the center and a creativity/party room in the back. The google page for the store is surprisingly still up for a neat look

[@megaupsilon]

The lack of video games is something I noticed immediately too! There also is a standalone Toys R Us store in the American Dream mall in NJ, but it also doesn’t have a video game section

[@lovelorn88nick]

Toys R Us was the place to go for Video games in the 90s. Hell it's all I really know it for. We went there for TurboGrafx-16 games as it was the only place in the early 90s you could really fund TG16 games

[@megaupsilon]

@@lovelorn88nick I remember going to Toys R Us all the time in the 2000s, and it’s where I have a pretty fond memory of picking up quite a few Pokémon games I’ve gotten over the years I even remember walking around the one that used to be in NYC, it was such a neat experience

[@maxxpower3d6]

Gamestop had to be bailed out by memes, I don't blame Toys R Us for not doing video games

[@megaupsilon]

@@maxxpower3d6 GameStop has its own slew of problems I’m an ex-employee and a lot of it is because of how they try to run the business + treat employees

[@IchigoKurosaki]

Probably because digital is rapidly taking over gaming

[@davetheimpaler204]

It's just branding for the Macy's toy department. If you expect more than that, you will be disappointed. They need to have video games though.

[@titan8611]

Love seeing the toys r us sign but hate how small it is hoping it would a been a pop up store killed my excitement the one in my macys brought me down on how small it was

[@unfvzedmak]

the toys r us in wesley chapel fl was so big and i miss it so much 😭😭😭

[@shanewojt]

The one at Lakeside Mall here in Michigan was real nice! This one had a bench with Geoffrey the Giraffe sitting and you can pose with him!

[@chrish.6040]

I also visited the Toys R Us pop up in the Superstition Springs Mall Macy's the other day and unfortunately my excitement quickly wore off. As you mentioned a few times in the video, just didn't feel like a toy store. Felt more like a small toy section. Also, again as you mentioned, lack of video games/electronics was one of the first things I noticed. Hopefully something good can come from this though.

[@AnimatedTechie]

I’m glad to know the reason for Toys R Us closing wasn’t a lack of selling toys. I thought maybe kids were only playing with ipad / iphone which would have been pretty depressing. My best memories as a kid were choosing Christmas presents with my grandparents at Toys R Us. Toys R Us was where I bought Lunar 2 Eternal Blue Complete for PS1 back in the year 2000. ❤ As you said in the video, they did our boy Geoffrey the Giraffe dirty. ☹️

[@RetailArchaeology]

I love the Lunar series 😁 I have a complete Lunar 2 Eternal Blue sitting on my game shelf.

[@AnimatedTechie]

@Wise Acres I bought Lunar Silver Star Story Complete for PS1 (good condition used) on Amazon for $70.00 back in 2005. Today that price has sky rocketed to $300.00 and up!!! My only gripe with Toys R Us back in the day was that most of their video game selection was out of stock. I remember wanting to get Mega Man Legends 2 but it wasn’t available. Maybe my Toys R Us was just a big hot spot for video games at that time. I remember our local Best Buy having a wider and more available selection in the 90’s and 2000’s.

[@taimaishu-nao1922]

Funny we talk about games here. I bought my 2DS from TRU in 2016 for $80 about two months after getting hired at my current job. My first real console after nearly 8 years unemployed and it was every bit as enjoyable as I’d hoped it was. I was lucky because the GameStop across the street at the adjacent mall was selling them for $120. Not only that but I managed to score Pokémon X, Y, OmegaRuby and Alpha Sapphire all on sale at Target nearly a week later. I got them for 50% off and brand new, sealed! But yeah, I got A LOT of great stuff there. Even my old phone case before my friend gave me his unlocked iPhone 5.

[@pcs9518]

Toys R Us did $1.3 billion in sales for 2017 it was definitely hedge fund debt and corporate greed that killed it

[@eladiocofresi5202]

The Toysrus shop in Macy's Herald Square actually does resemble an actual store within the store, having taken up part of the space in the Kids department. An archway was created by the entrance to make it feel like a separate space, has a few play areas, and for visuals, a recreation of the Thanksgiving Day Parade out of Lego bricks, complete with the facade on 34th Street, spectators, floats, and Batman as one of the guests. To my understanding, only a few locations within the chain have a bit more of the luxe feel, and Herald Square being the flagship, has extra. As for video games, there are none, and has had the song lyrics changed to "from bikes to trains to lots of games" to accommodate. The most the website sells is a handful of games online and a few basic small video games in the store.

[@BirbarianHomeGuard]

Bain Capital stole our childhood away from us for a quick buck.

[@KittyKatz547]

I visited Japan recently and one day while visiting a mall I stumbled upon a Toys R Us / Babys R Us and was delighted to take a walk around. It was just as I remembered it stateside! There's just something special about walking around those long, tall corridors full of toys that pop with colors, sounds etc. While its nice to see these "pop-up" sections maintaining the brand, it just doesn't feel the same as the big box store itself. I hope the company that owns the IP now in the states sees the value in these locations again in the future. Obviously the bankruptcy had a lot to do with just too many stores that weren't profitable, so I think a handful of them instead could remain popular with today's consumers. Only time will tell. Thanks for making great videos!

[@bobbycrosby9765]

I feel sad my kids will never be able to experience a Toys R Us. The sheer quantity of toys there was just amazing to behold. I can still remember going through the Nintendo aisle, the GI Joe aisle, the bicycles, and the Legos. My kids freak out when we go to the Target toy aisles. I can't imagine what they would think if they got to visit a Target-sized toy store.

[@ScottyPimpinATL]

Welcome to the new trend of nostalgia flooding everything we will be involved with. Just look around and you'll have a flashback like Woody after he realizes he has become an old memory. The apocalaugh is amongst us. I predict return of the Noid, trans fats, and Disco

[@watershed44]

@Scotty Pimpin ATL The reason nostalgia is selling so well today is because of how our "leaders" (haha) have destroyed what once was so good about our world

[@ScottyPimpinATL]

American Dads new episode is on dead malls.

[@shawnbrewington]

This is for the new kids so of course it doesn’t “feel” like Toys R Us to adults. A kid doesn’t care about the overall aesthetic of a toy store but rather what toys the store has. The big signs are just the razzle dazzle to draw in a new generation. Like for us as kids, to them, it’s just a name of a place for toys.

[@g.g.2102]

These stores looked depressing. The flooring and lighting make a difference. These sad looking toys don’t look appealing.

[@joewilson3393]

I bet there is a ton of recycled stock. Retailers are so full of over purchased inventory they are charging restocking fees.

[@financeeconomics1057]

Before the local Toys R Us store closed here in Southern California, the only reason I would go there is to buy video games. Without that, it's not much of a Toys R Us. If it was still a standalone store, it would have to keep up with the times, like offering video games, video game consoles, vr headsets, robots, etc..

[@CharlieFlemingOriginal]

WHSmith has bagged the Toys R Us concessions in the UK which already isn't a good start as it hasn't been needed since the 2000s

[@Vic_Coco]

As someone with young cousins and nieces, having this experience for them is great. But it’s even better for me.

[@MisterUrbanWorld]

Eh, this is nothing like the 90s, not even close, and this just looks like a Toy section you'd find at Walmart,etc

[@MultiCreditKIng]

Most of these Brick & Motor stores need to go back to general leadership like local manufacturing businesses instead of these corporate recruiting and management. When I mess an order up on a $15hr I get fired. When Corporations close numerous sites because lack of corporate VP awareness (which pays thousand times the average coordinator) no one cares.