Toys R Us to open two stores in the US this year.

[Werewolf]

One in Texas and the other in Jersey. Kind of disappointing.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/18/toys-r-us-plots-comeback-with-smaller-stores-in-partnership-with-b8ta.html

[monitor_ep]

Not for me, the one in Texas is in Houston Tx at the Galleria Mall!

[ODBJBG]

Well first they said 6, now down to 2. Hoping for 10 total by 2020. This new TRU is just a con, even this article points out that they are trying to woo big toy companies into backing them. No one is going to bite on a pair of 6,000 sq ft stores. It's a shame that they wouldn't let MGA or Canadian TRU take the 200-300 stores over that they wanted to.

[PNGwynne]

It's a shame that they wouldn't let MGA or Canadian TRU take the 200-300 stores over that they wanted to.

I agree.

[Werewolf]

At least they are permanent stores and not pop ups.

[monitor_ep]

If they ran there website better back in the day they would have sold more items. Hastings & TRU would not get with the program and go more toward the internet vs b&m stores. If the new TRU does work on a webbased store first than they have ZERO chance of making it.

[monitor_ep]

At least they are permanent stores and not pop ups.

Permanent until there contract runs out. Also malls want a % of sales. I do not know why they would deal with the malls, in Houston there are still stores with the signs still out, rent one of those for 6 months to a year. Granted they would have to purchase more shelfs since they were forced to sell EVERYTHING. I got some good deals on shelves back then.

[TrekStar]

I wonder if they will carry any of the new Mego lines?

[danadoll]

If they weren't so overpriced, "back in the day", they would have done better business.

Dana

[Blue Meanie]

Everyone is still not getting it...their inventory system SUCKED!! They wouldn't sell the next wave of figures until the previous wave had sold out. This was further agitated by having a website that they would funnel everything to...but never take back to the actual main warehouses to keep the flow of new toys on time and selling. Toys R Us and Target and Walmart use to blow out all of the old stock in order to put the new stock out. NONE of them do that anymore. They have websites...they don't care if the stuff stays on the shelves in their stores...as long as they don't have to house the stuff in main warehouses. They get backlogged because waves of toys keep showing up every 2 - 3 months. They sit on the stuff and don't put it on the shelves. Used to see this first hand when I would go to Toys R Us that was literally across the parking lot from where I managed at Circuit City in Massapequa. I'd look up on the shelves and on the top shelves they would have the brand new waves of McFarlane and Star Wars POTF2 just collecting dust. I would ask the people that worked in the department if they could possibly bring down a case or 2 and the stock answer used to be "Can't do it...Until this stuff on the shelves is sold out...those boxes will stay right where they are." This was the directive from the Managers/District Managers. And people wonder why they went belly up??!!?? As long as that mentality/inventory system is in place...nothing will change and more stores will either stop carrying toys or go belly up if they are JUST a toys store. My bet is that that will not change with Toys R Us when the re-launch. I's like to be wrong...but I think you will see the same crap from them.

[Werewolf]

Yes, there are things TRU could have done better. But their mistakes didn't kill them and nether did amazon or Walmart. Private Equity killed TRU same as it killed Kaybee toys. Bain Capital and KKR saddled Toys R Us with 7 billion in debt which they never could get out from under. TRU had good sales and controlled a large chunk of the toy market but none of that mattered when their profits all went to paying the interest on their debt. They couldn't invest back into the company or update their stores because of all the debt. Bain Capital has now killed two iconic toy chains.

[SeattleEd]

It is a shame and I concur with your sentiment on how they ran the program. I noticed that happening here too in the Seattle TRU locations as well as hearing about managers selling from the back door to collectors. I've known folks that saw this first hand.

Well at least they are still operating in Canada and doing well. When we visit Vancouver Island there is one up there that we passby but never have time to stop in, as of yet.
But best wishes to them and hope it works out. Something for the new generation of kiddies to look forward to and enjoy. This dinosaur will do his best to make it memorable to my wee little one.

My bet is that that will not change with Toys R Us when the re-launch. I's like to be wrong...but I think you will see the same crap from them.

[nvmbrsdoom5]

Yes, there are things TRU could have done better. But their mistakes didn't kill them and nether did amazon or Walmart. Private Equity killed TRU same as it killed Kaybee toys. Bain Capital and KKR saddled Toys R Us with 7 billion in debt which they never could get out from under. TRU had good sales and controlled a large chunk of the toy market but none of that mattered when their profits all went to paying the interest on their debt. They couldn't invest back into the company or update their stores because of all the debt. Bain Capital has now killed two iconic toy chains.

Yep, this is it. Everyone else's complaints about the prices, poor restocking practices, etc. are all valid and certainly didn't help matters whatsoever, but BC and KRK are ultimately what destroyed them, sadly. I'll be curious to see how this relaunch goes, I really do hope it works out better this time but we'll see....

[SeattleEd]

For those interested in knowing something about how the storefronts will function:

https://techcrunch.com/2019/07/18/toys-r-us-taps-tech-startup-b8ta-to-bring-its-stores-into-the-future/