When Toys “R” Us closed all its stores in 2018 after an unsuccessful attempt to pull itself out of bankruptcy, people who grew up with the iconic store mourned losing part of their childhood. Now, the toy store’s parent company, WHP Global, has a new vision to bring the toy store back to customers who never wanted to stop being a Toys “R” Us Kid.
Up to 24 new Toys “R” Us flagship stores will open around the country beginning in 2024, CNN Business reports. But that does not include the travel market the company plans to tap into next month. In addition to traditional brick-and-mortar flagship stores, Toys “R” Us plans to open shops in airports and on cruise ships to create different kinds of retail experiences for families. The toy retailer will partner with Go! Retail Group, a company known for its toy and game product lines sold in pop-up stores around the country, for its airport and cruise ship concepts.
“In early November, the first Toys ‘R’ Us airport store will open in Terminal A at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport,” WHP Global said in its Sept. 29 announcement. “Passengers will be able to shop for their favorite toy brands and exclusive regional merchandise from the new Toys ‘R’ Us airport store.”
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In addition to its airport expansion, Toys “R” Us has its eyes on the seas.
The new at-sea stores designed for cruise ships will offer “a wide range of toys and exclusive cruise-themed merchandise for children and their families during their voyages,” WHP Global announced. No timeline or cruise ship lines have been announced yet.
The Toys “R” Us comeback began in 2021 after WHP Global purchased the company and opened a new 20,000-square-foot store in New Jersey and 452 shops inside Macy’s stores in 2022. According to CNN Business, this stores-within-a-store concept ranges from 1,000- to 10,000-square-foot footprints in some of Macy’s biggest locations like Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.
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