Toys ‘R’ Us Plans to Close All U.S. Stores • Page 2

I bought all 8 of my Lightsabers there. Sad times. RIP TRU.

 

Partly, yeah. TRU was subject to a leveraged buy at the peak of retail which saddled the company with loads of debt. It was also the victim of relentless greed, the investment company and senior directors took all the profits out of the company when it was going strong thinking it would last forever without ever reinvesting to update the stores or online experience. Even after the company had filed for bankruptcy they agreed to $16 million dollars of bonuses for 17 top executives, disgusting.

I could go on and on. I work in the toy industry so have followed this closely. There’s plenty of properly run brick & mortar toy stores that are currently thriving, in the UK at least.

 

Anybody know how this affects Babies R Us? I haven't seen a thing about that.

 

I was a vendor for TRU in recent years. Their behind the scenes processes were awful. When all this news came down, I was not surprised at all. From my experience with them, they were not run well at all. To their credit, they did take chances on products that weren’t mainstream. Sometimes that worked and sometimes that didn’t.

It’s a shame this is happening because they were the last big national toys centric chain as far as I know, but all these people petitioning to save TRU is laughable. It’s a business... they didn’t run theirs right, so it failed. They were too big and meandering to adjust to a changing market. Imagine if they focused on their ecommerce marketplace and used their 800+ stores as hubs for same or next day delivery? That’s what I thought a big player like Amazon would do, swoop in and buy them up and use them as hubs. But TRU’s situation was so dire no one wanted to even touch it. That speaks to how terribly managed this business was.

I’m hoping the Mom & Pop, independent toy stores get a boost from this. Unfortunately, most don’t seem any more well run then TRU. Being in the toy industry is super cool, but it’s still business. I think too many people have a kids mindset in the industry as far as owners of stores go. You have to be smart and shrewd, but they just want to stock what they want, like they’re still a kid on a shopping spree.

So it’s Target and Walmart and Amazon now. Learning Express is a bigger chain toy store as well. Otherwise, support your local business if they’re worthy.

 

Yea Best Buy has been a ghost town the past few times I've been in. Not to mention atheir employees can be the least helpful.

 

Was just there last night because I have a shit ton of gift cards. THe cashier said they're liquidating next week and plan on closing within the next 30 days

 

It truly bums me out that my kid will never know the feeling of walking into an actual toy store.

 

I figured as much. Just wondered about the stand alone ones, cuz from what I hear they were actually doing well and quite profitable

 

The one I was in was a standalone one. Sucks because around me we have two options - Babies R Us and Buy Buy Baby. They both do really well too. But who knows what'll happen and who knows if what my cashier said was 100% accurate lol

 

I don't have the same connection as most people, the closest one to me was always an hour away. (We always had KBToys here in Pittsfield when I was young) But the commercials and jingle were always so damn memorable.

 

Ugh damnit. Buy Buy Baby is expensive so I guess it's Amazon, Target, Walmart for us.

Thanks for the info.

 

still ok in Canada?

 

Toys are no longer us

 

I believe they already started closing those, prior to this announcement

 

Sucks to hear that they were a pretty shitty run business and that so many people are losing their jobs. I don't think I ever actually got anything from Toys R Us as a kid though, they were always so much more expensive than everywhere else.

 

Can't wait to stock up on some discounted Legos!

(but really, this is such a bummer that they're closing.)

 

My parents took me to TRU all the time, I was only child until I was 8. I even rode a giraffe in the parking lot once lmao.

 

there’s still so many smaller & independent toy stores that will now (hopefully) have more demand.

don’t really know why you’d mourn the loss of a big box store, other than the loss of jobs.

 

Yeah there’s a reason they’re gone... they never could price competitively

 

Dude I have so many fond memories of that first MGS solid game. I remember my friend and I spending hours just fucking around with that cardboard box, haha.

 

Fortunately in the UK and Ireland we have great national family run toy chains like The Entertainer and Smyths. They always have staff at the front off stores playing with the latest toys, it’s great. I hope the US can find chains like that too.

 

Idk if anyone in here lived in NYC before or visited years back, but the most amazing toy store experience was visiting FAO Schwarz. Felt like walking into the Wonka factory and I’m not even exaggerating.

 

Nastalgia. Fond memories. It's obvious. Not sure why I would have to explain myself or justify that.

 

Did you happen to notice if they had any video games on clearance?

 

Independent stores are doing fine and will do even better with TRU closing. Good article: Local toy stores are thriving as Toys

If you understand your limitations and market and can offer a whole experience like some of these places, you will be fine and even thrive.