A view of Macy’s Toys “R” Us on July 11, 2022 in Jersey City, New Jersey.
The most iconic American toy store is making a comeback -- and just in time for the holiday season.
In 2018, all brick-and-mortar Toys"R"Us stores shut down. But in July, both companies announced they would reopen locations inside every Macy's store throughout the U.S., according to a press release.
San Diego County is lucky enough to get three of those locations -- already open -- inside Macy's stores in Fashion Valley, Chula Vista and Carlsbad.
These in-store Toys"R"Us stops will range from 1,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet. The stores may even expand by 500 to 3,000 square feet during the holiday season to offer more products, according to NBC News.
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Stores also offer opportunities to take photos with a life-size Geoffrey Giraffe sitting on a bench and let customers interact with various toys at hands-on demonstration tables.
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From Oct. 15 to 23, families are encouraged to participate in nine days of in-store events at the shops, including family friendly activities and daily giveaways from brands like Barbie, LEGO and more.
Toys"R"Us was founded in 1948 and filed for bankruptcy in 2017 after saddling hundreds of millions of dollars in debt as traditional retail shopping declined. The bankruptcy closed around 900 stores country-wide and laid off some 33,000 employees, reported NBC News. The two physical stores left standing shuttered in January 2021 as the pandemic ravaged businesses.
In March of 2021, brand management firm WHP Global acquired the Toys"R"Us brand for an undisclosed amount, adding the name to a repertoire that includes Babies"R"Us, Anne Klein and Joseph Abboud. Macy's began selling Toys"R"Us products online later that year.
"We're in the brand business, and Toys"R"Us is the single most credible, trusted and beloved toy brand in the world," Yehuda Shmidman, chairman and chief executive officer of WHP said to CNBC last year. "We're coming off a year where toys are just on fire. ... And for Toys"R"Us, the U.S. is really a blank canvas."
Toy sales skyrocketed during the pandemic. Americans bought toys in 2021 to the tune of $29 billion compared to $22 billion in 2019, reported NPD Group's retail insights. NPD added that stimulus checks contributed to the boom of toy sales.
For a full list of Macy's locations with opened Toys"R"Us stores, click here.
