When Toys”R”Us shuttered its doors last summer, a piece of our souls died. For many of us ’80s/’90s kids, no other retailer holds quite as many memories as that florescent-lit treasure box — and Geoffrey the Giraffe was an integral part of our childhoods. But take heart: Tru Kids, the toy store chain’s parent company, just announced it will be bringing Toys “R”Us stores back to the U.S. — and the new locales will be open in time for the 2019 holiday season.
According to a press release, the stores — located in The Galleria in Houston and in Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey — will be smaller than their predecessors, and while they will still sell toys, the stores will stock fewer of them. Instead, they will be a “highly interactive” experience, more like playgrounds than stores.
“With a 70 year heritage, the Toys”R”Us brand is beloved by kids and families around the world, and continues to play a leading role in the hearts and minds of today’s consumers,” Richard Barry, CEO of Tru Kids and Interim co-CEO of the new Toys”R”Us joint venture, said. “We have an incredible opportunity to entirely reimagine the Toys”R”Us brand in the U.S. and are thrilled to partner with b8ta and key toy vendors to create a new, highly-engaging retail experience designed for kids [and] families.”
Toymakers will also be encouraged to design and set up shop within the new stores.
News of the rebranding came about earlier this year. In February, Tru Kids announced they had acquired Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us and would reopen select locations. Until now, however, little else has been known.
So get your little ones ready — and your inner child. With events, “play” stations and Geoffrey the Giraffe, the new Toys”R”Us stores sound like a dream come true.
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