Over the last six years, Toys R Us has had a rocky ride full of store closures and bankruptcy.
More recently, the company has had a resurgence, including a partnership with Macy's and special sales last holiday season, and plans for an airport location set to open this holiday season.
Now, Toys R Us has announced its plans to open two dozen stores across the U.S. – with some popping up in airports and on cruise ships, as well as traditional brick-and-mortar locations.
“The Toys R Us brand is growing fast and our expansion into air, land, and sea is a testament to the brand’s strength,” Yehuda Shmidman, chairman and CEO of WHP Global, said in a statement. “Since acquiring Toys R Us, we have increased our global retail footprint by more than 50% with openings in the United States, United Kingdom, India, Dubai, and Mexico.
“We now have over 1,400 stores and e-commerce sites across 31 countries, and as we head into 2024, we are excited to bring Toys R Us to consumers everywhere, whether you’re visiting one of our stores at Macy’s, our flagships, in an airport, or onboard a cruise ship.”
Stores should start popping up next year
WHP has partnered with Go! Retail Group for the expansion, which is set to kickoff with the first new location opening this November in the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. While the other exact locations and cruise lines have yet to be revealed, the plan is to start opening more locations in 2024.
With regional and travel-based locations, shoppers can expect to see some items that match where they are. For instance, in Dallas, Toys R Us will carry exclusive regional merchandise that’s unique to that location, while on board cruises, passengers will find cruise-themed items and toys that won’t be available in other locations.
The new Toys R Us flagship locations will operate alongside the existing 452 Macy’s pop-up stores. The first one was built in the American Dream mall in New Jersey in 2021 and stands at 20,000 square feet. The goal with the new flagship stores is to create an experience for customers that’s centered around toys.
“As a specialty retailer and with deep roots in the toy and game industry, we are thrilled and honored to partner with WHP Global to expand the base of Toys R Us flagship stores,” said Gideon Schlessinger, CEO of Go! Retail Group. With over 30 years of experience in all 50 states, our focus will be to do what we do best – provide valuable brick-and-mortar logistics and operational excellence to this iconic brand.”
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2023-10-19 13:42:46
