Some retail brands disappear so completely that consumers eventually stop expecting to see them again. Others find a way back, rebuilding their presence after years of financial turmoil, store closures, and major changes in ownership.
One once-familiar name is now taking another step toward reclaiming its place in the retail landscape, bringing its stores back to communities across the country and reviving the experience that made the brand a household name.
Founded in 1948 as a baby furniture store in Washington, D.C., Toys R Us grew into a global retailer specializing in toys, clothing, and baby products. At its peak, the company operated over 1,500 stores and e-commerce businesses across more than 35 countries.
The retailer’s U.S. business later went through bankruptcy and liquidation, but the brand survived through changes in ownership and licensing. Now, its current owner is pursuing a major expansion of physical retail in the U.S.
Toys R Us is opening 120 U.S. stores
Toys R Us is accelerating its U.S. physical retail presence with plans to open 120 new standalone stores across the country in partnership with Go! Retail Group, according to a company announcement.
The new locations will add to the brand’s existing U.S. retail footprint, which includes 40 standalone stores as well as Toys R Us shops inside Macy’s stores nationwide.
The expansion is expected to bring the number of standalone Toys R Us stores in the U.S. to 160 by the 2026 holiday season.
“This is a major moment for Toys R Us as we significantly expand our presence across the United States,” said Toys R Us Executive VP at WHP Global Jamie Uitdenhowen in a statement.
“Together with our incredible partners, we are growing Toys R Us in unique ways to meet customers wherever they are, whether that’s at a standalone store in their hometown, inside Macy’s, at the airport or at a Navy Exchange.”
The planned openings represent a significant push to rebuild the brand’s brick-and-mortar presence after the retailer’s U.S. stores were liquidated following its bankruptcy.
Toys R Us financial struggles
Toys R Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2017 to restructure its U.S. and Canada businesses. In the filing, the company reported approximately $5 billion in debt.
At the time, the retailer operated around 1,600 Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores worldwide under ownership of an investment group that included Bain Capital Partners LLC, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., and Vornado Realty Trust.
The restructuring did not succeed, and Toys R Us moved to liquidate its U.S. stores less than a year after filing for bankruptcy.
After the liquidation, Tru Kids acquired the Toys R Us and Babies R Us brands and their intellectual property. WHP Global later purchased a controlling interest in Tru Kids, becoming the brand’s current owner.
The Toys R Us name continued to return to physical retail through partnerships and new store formats, allowing the brand to maintain a presence even after its U.S. liquidation.
According to WHP Global, Toys R Us now generates approximately $2 billion in global retail sales annually.
Toys R Us expansion plans
Toys R Us has continued to expand under WHP Global’s ownership, including through a partnership with Go! Retail Group to roll out flagship stores across the U.S. beginning in 2024, according to a WHP Global announcement.
The company has also expanded into nontraditional retail locations. Toys R Us has announced plans for retail experiences at airports and cruise ships, while a partnership with NEXCOM has expanded the brand’s presence on military bases.
WHP Global has said that it has increased the brand’s global retail footprint by more than 50% since acquiring Toys R Us, with expansion across markets including the U.S., UK, India, Dubai, and Mexico.
The company says Toys R Us now has more than 1,400 stores and e-commerce sites across 31 countries, including locations inside Macy’s, standalone stores, airports, and cruise ships.
“The Toys R Us brand is growing fast and our expansion into air, land and sea is a testament to the brand’s strength,” said WHP Global CEO Yehuda Shmidman in a statement at the time.
Here’s some of my previous coverage on Toys R Us:
- Global toy retailer suspends online operations, closes stores
- Toys R Us brings back big box toy stores in major markets
The latest U.S. expansion marks another step in the brand’s effort to rebuild its physical retail presence after its 2017 bankruptcy and subsequent liquidation of its U.S. stores.
