Toys R Us to close 180 stores in the USA, list inside

[Zulithe]

Hi all. Sad news if you love shopping at TRU. A bunch of stores are closing. Yours might be on the list. Have a look for yourself:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/toys-r-us-to-close-180-stores-across-the-us.html



Alabama

2600 McFarland Blvd. East, Tuscaloosa AL

335 Summit Blvd., Birmingham AL

Arizona

801 W. 32nd Street, Yuma AZ

12801 North Tatum Blvd., Paradise Valley AZ

9139 Indian Bend Rd., Scottsdale AZ

4619 N. Oracle Rd., Tucson AZ

7000 E. Mayo Blvd., Scottsdale AZ

US 60 and Signal Butte Rd., Mesa AZ

Arkansas

2616 S. Shackleford Rd., Little Rock AR

California

42500 Jackson St., Indio CA

1189 Simi Town Ctr. Way, Simi Valley CA

26573 Carl Boyer Dr., Santa Clarita CA

960 Lakes Dr., Covina CA

1600 S. Azusa Ave., Puente Hills CA

2575 E. Imperial Highway, Brea CA

530 Westminster Mall, Westminster CA

20120 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance CA

2550 Canyon Springs Pkwy S., Riverside CA

700 "A" Onstott Rd., Yuba City CA

2785 E. Bidwell St., Folsom CA

1330 Fitzgerald, Pinole CA

4505 Century Blvd., Pittsburg CA

600 Francisco Blvd., San Rafael CA

5461 Lone Tree Way, Brentwood CA

1400 Gateway Blvd., Fairfield CA

3938 Horton, Emeryville CA

2179 Monterey Hwy., E. San Jose CA

865 Blossom Hill Rd., San Jose / Almade CA

3520 W. Shaw Ave., Fresno CA

31250 Court House Dr., Union City CA

10640 Trinity Pkwy., Stockton CA

3900 Bristol Street, Santa Ana CA

3665 Grand Oaks, Corona CA

1240 W. Morena Blvd., Mission Bay CA

8181 Mira Mesa Blvd., Mira Mesa CA

1990 University Drive, Vista CA

Colorado

1150 S. Ironton, Aurora CO

Connecticut

376 North Universal Drive, North Haven CT

275 Union St., Waterbury CT

3491 Berlin Turnpike, Newington CT

169 Hale Road, Manchester CT

Florida

1625 Apalachee Pkwy., Tallahassee FL

1900 Tyrone Blvd., St. Petersburg FL

3908 West Hillsborough Avenue, Tampa FL

6001 Argyle Forest Blvd., Orange Park FL

Spring 708 West State Rd. 436, Altamonte FL

21697 State Road #7, Boca Raton FL

10732 SW Village Pkwy., Port St. Lucie FL

450 South SR 7, Royal Palm Beach FL

2601 W.Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee FL

6001 West Sample Road, Coral Springs FL

3214 N John Young Pkwy., Kissimmee FL

Georgia

2601 Dawson Rd., Albany GA

2955 Cobb Parkway, Smyrna GA

6380 No. Point Parkway, Alpharetta GA

1155 Mt. Vernon Hwy., Dunwoody GA

6875 Douglas Boulevard, Douglasville GA

8160 Mall Parkway, Conyers GA

221 Newnan Crossing Bypass, Newnan GA

132 Pavilion Parkway, Fayetteville GA

Indiana

3928 E 82nd Street, Indianapolis IN

8800 US 31 South, Greenwood IN

Iowa

1211 E. Army Post Rd., S. Des Moines IA

8801 University Ave., Des Moines IA

Illinois

1610 Deerfield Rd., Highland Park IL

16 East Golf Rd., Schaumburg IL

295 Center Drive, Vernon Hills IL

5001 Lincoln Highway, Matteson IL

6420 W. Fullerton, Bricktown IL

7750 South Cicero Avenue, Burbank IL

5660 Touhy Avenue, Niles IL

Kansas

4646 W. Kellogg, Wichita KS

8500 W 135th Street, Overland Park KS

Kentucky

4900 Shelbyville Rd., St. Mathews KY

1155 Buck Creek Rd., Simpsonville KY

1965 Star Shoot Parkway, Lexington KY

Louisiana

137 Northshore Blvd., Slidell LA

Maine

6 Bangor Mall Blvd., Bangor ME

200 Running Hill Road, Portland ME

Maryland

8401 Mike Shapiro Drive, Clinton MD

Massachusetts

302 Providence, Dedham MA

70 Worcester Providence Tpk/Rt. 146, Millbury MA

50 Holyoke Street, Holyoke MA

217 Hartford Ave., Bellingham MA

6110 Shops Way, Northborough MA

Shoppers World Plaza, 1 Worcester Road, Framingham MA

Michigan

5363 Harvey Street, Muskegon MI

2620 Crossing Circle, Traverse City MI

5900 W. Saginaw Highway, Lansing MI

4923 28th Street South East, Grand Rapids MI

3725 Carpenter Road, Ann Arbor MI

3725 Washtenaw, Ann Arbor MI

Minnesota

14100 Wayzata Blvd., Minnetonka MN

170 89th Ave., Blaine MN

8236 Tamarack Village, Woodbury MN

900 West 78th Street South, Richfield MN

Mississippi

1003 Bonita Lakes Circle, Meridian MS

200 Bass Pro Dr., Pearl MS

Missouri

1901 Bernadette, Columbia MO

201 Silver Springs Rd., Cape Girardeau MO

5590 St. Louis Mills Blvd., Bridgeton MO

220 THF Blvd., Chesterfield MO

Nebraska

3505 S. 140th Plaza, Omaha NE

Nevada

2150 North Rainbow Blvd., Las Vegas NV

7020 Arroyo Crossing Parkway, Spring Valley NV

New Mexico

45 Hotel Circle, Albuquerque NM

North Carolina

801 Fairview Road, Asheville NC

7001 Fayetteville Road, Durham NC

3300 Westgate Drive, Durham NC

New Hampshire

29 Gusabel Avenue, Nashua NH

New Jersey

1280 Rt. 22 & St. James Ave., Phillipsburg NJ

137 Route 35, Eatontown NJ

100 Promenade Blvd., Bridgewater NJ

2700 Route 22 East., Union NJ

909 US Hwy 1 South., North Brunswick NJ

Rt. 541 & Cadillac Road, Burlington NJ

2135 Route 38, Cherry Hill NJ

7 Wayne Hills Mall, Wayne NJ

545 Route 17 South, Paramus NJ

98 Route 10 West., East Hanover NJ

Kids World 900 Center Drive, Elizabeth NJ

50 International Drive South, Mt. Olive NJ

New York

139-19 20th Ave., College Point NY

24-30 Union Square E, Union Square NY

5181 Sunrise Hwy., Sayville NY

5214 Sunrise Hwy., Massapequa NY

2335 Marketplace Drive, Henrietta NY

1569 Niagara Falls Blvd., Buffalo NY

401 Frank Sottile Boulevard, Kingston NY

708 Upper Glen St., Glens Falls NY

221 Wade Road Extension, Latham NY

2700 Central Park Ave., Yonkers NY

66 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village NY

1350 Corporate Drive, Westbury NY

108 Veterans Memorial Highway, Commack NY

461 Lycoming Mall Cir, Williamsport NY

1530 Ridge Rd. West, Greece NY

Ohio

6251 Glenway Ave., Western Hills OH

2661 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd., Dayton OH

7841 Mentor Ave., Mentor OH

3610 West Dublin-Granville Rd., Dublin OH

Oklahoma

1119 SE 66th St., Oklahoma City OK

5609-E Rogers Ave., Fort Smith OK

560 Ed Noble Pkwy., Norman OK

Pennsylvania

1061 N. Dupont Highway, Dover PA

100 Welsh Road, Horsham PA

6680 Peach St., Erie PA

3700 William Penn Highway, Monroeville PA

104 Bartlett Ave., Exton PA

2003 Cheryl Dr., Ross Park Mall PA

301 Oakspring Road, Washington PA

18/Valley View Dr., Beaver Valley Route PA

Rhode Island

300 Quaker Lane, Warwick RI

South Carolina

254 Harbison Boulevard, Columbia SC

South Dakota

450 E. Disk Drive, Rapid City SD

Tennessee

7676 Polo Ground Blvd., Memphis TN

5731 Nolensville Rd., Nashville TN

Texas

801 Mesa Hills Dr., West El Paso TX

9730 Katy Freeway, Katy TX

170 E. Stacy Road, Allen TX

7730 N. MacArthur Blvd, Irving TX

420 E. Round Grove Rd., Lewisville TX

13710 Dallas Parkway, Dallas Galleria TX

1309 W. Pipeline Rd., Hurst TX

5800 Overton Ridge Blvd., Hulen TX

Utah

4042 Riverdale Rd., Ogden UT

1122 Fort Union Boulevard, Midvale UT

Virginia

14173 Crossing Place, Potomac Mills VA

12153 Jefferson Ave., Newport News VA

Washington

3567 N.W. Randall Way, Silverdale WA

1325A S.E. Everett Mall Parkway, Everett WA

6104 N. Division Street, Spokane WA

Wisconsin

18550 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield WI

2161 Zeier Road, Madison WI

[Vegita-San]

perfect.. all the ones near me are closing :/.

How will I get the latest nintendo stuff now

[Prowler]

So does this mean TRU is actually going out of business like people said when they filed in for bankruptcy sometime ago? Or are they just restructuring and closing down stores that don't meet much profit anymore? How many TRU stores are there in USA even?

I've never understood why TRU was more expensive than the other options. I can't speak for other countries, but in my country, TMNT and wrestling action figures are always a few euros more expensive at TRU than anywhere else. Sadly TRU are basically the only toy shops here these days. Ofc TRU looked like somewhat magical place when I was a kid, and boy did I love their Christmas catalogues and making my wishlist at the end of them, but the place does seem to lack a "soul". It's just ugly on the inside. It's like a giant warehouse. Its lack of wall decoration just looks ugly and sad.

[The Deadman]

Chapter 7 is the one where you go out of business. They filed for 11 which is just a restructure. I work at one and the wrestling and TMNT figures aren't THAT expensive. If 10 bucks is too much (which they're near that price range anywhere) don't buy any lol.

[plastroncafe]

Ooof, all those workers...

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Online shopping is taking over.

[Storm Eagle]

There will still be four stores which will survive that I can still easily make it to, but the one in my city is closing. It's the one where I got an SNES Classic too.

[oldmanwinters]

The closest store to me is closing. I frequent it a number of times, and I've always thought the staff was helpful. But it often feels like lots of empty space... except for December.

[Jester]

Looks like the one here in Arkansas is a Babies R Us location.

[Andrew NDB]

Jesus, where do you freaking take a kid to go and look at toys to buy anymore? This is insanity.

[sdp]

Toys are going the ways of the dodo. I wonder if there's room now in the market for a smaller KB Toys like store in shopping malls, then again, shopping malls are dying as well.

Toy stores have a difficult time competing against video games, smart devices, online toy retailers and even general supermarkets like Walmart/Target.

It's worth noting that Babies R Us is a big factor of many of those stores closing, baby stuff has gone exclusively online over the past few years which was TRUs biggest revenue.


This will impact companies all toy companies from big ones like Hasbro to smaller ones like Neca.

[newfan]

Such a shame to see so many stores closing, I shop on-line like others but often go to the toy store near me for toys rather than shop for toys on-line, same with clothes, prefer stores for that too, see what I am buying.
Agreed toys have taken a hit with things like video games and devices etc but there's still room for them, I've but enough for my children over the years (but then I held off video games until recently)

[TigerClaw]

Hi all. Sad news if you love shopping at TRU. A bunch of stores are closing. Yours might be on the list. Have a look for yourself:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/toys-r-us-to-close-180-stores-across-the-us.html
Looks the Toys R Us over here isn't closing, but wouldnt be surprised if they close more stores after these.

[dl316bh]

Jesus, where do you freaking take a kid to go and look at toys to buy anymore? This is insanity.
Do kids play with toys much anymore? I genuinely don't know, I haven't been around many in the past few years. I feel like it's probably harder to catch kids attention these days with how popular things like video games are or mobile devices.

[Andrew NDB]

Do kids play with toys much anymore? I genuinely don't know, I haven't been around many in the past few years. I feel like it's probably harder to catch kids attention these days with how popular things like video games are or mobile devices.

My 10 year old plays with tons of toys and always has. Used to be more of the stuffed variety, now it's Littlest Pet Shop and other such things.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Do kids play with toys much anymore? I genuinely don't know, I haven't been around many in the past few years. I feel like it's probably harder to catch kids attention these days with how popular things like video games are or mobile devices.

Also, children today watch less toy commercials. So if you mean action figures, it's hard times:

https://exstreamist.com/report-netflix-saves-children-from-150-hours-of-commercials-a-year/

[dl316bh]

Also, children today watch less toy commercials. So if you mean action figures, it's hard times:

https://exstreamist.com/report-netflix-saves-children-from-150-hours-of-commercials-a-year/
That sucks for the business. They rely on that stuff. The thing is, people have always hated commercials, but there was no way around them. Now, with the growth of streaming, they're going to have to come up with other ways to adjust.

Parents are probably thrilled, though. I've heard many a tale of peoples parents getting annoyed and snipping about the "glorified toy commercials" we watched. Which... I mean, some old cartoons really were not much more than that.

Used to be more of the stuffed variety, now it's Littlest Pet Shop and other such things.
My sister used to be into Littlest Pet Shop when she was younger. It seems like one of those enduring brands.

[TigerClaw]

If Toys R Us shuts down for good, it would be a sad day for all those who grew up in the 80s. Toys R Us used to be the only place to buy video games.

[CyberCubed]

Kids of today outgrow toys fast. I have younger siblings and they're glued to the ipad, phone, or youtube all day.

Kids just don't play with action figures or dolls as much as they used to. By the time they get to 9-10 they already move on. The modern year of the 2010's is a lot different than the 80's and 90's.

Toys are becoming a thing of the past like online message boards.

[sdp]

By the time I was 10 I still bought some toys but I had for the most part moved on to video games, Once I had my Nintendo 64 I never asked for toys anymore only video games, I would still get one or two from time to time and still played with all my toys but yeah all my money was for video games and most of my time too.

That's a normal age I think, I'm sure tablets/phones are affecting a lot but the trend started many years ago I think.

[CyberCubed]

By the time I was 10 I still bought some toys but I had for the most part moved on to video games, Once I had my Nintendo 64 I never asked for toys anymore only video games, I would still get one or two from time to time and still played with all my toys but yeah all my money was for video games and most of my time too.

That's a normal age I think, I'm sure tablets/phones are affecting a lot but the trend started many years ago I think.

True, I really only collected TMNT action figures myself, my brother collected Dragonball Z and Star Wars figures and B:TAS toys, so I had a lot of toys in my house growing up.

Now you see people buy those high-end collector statues at $100-150.

[sdp]

Here are TRU's short term plans:

https://i.imgur.com/xq2PMjY.jpg

I think they're feasible in making the store more profitable. I do think it'll be affecting the plans of a few companies, next years toy fair may end up being a bit disappointed and "safe".

[CyberCubed]

amazon is killing stores. People don't even buy videogames at Toys R Us anymore because you can get them all cheaper online.

[Andrew NDB]

The hybrid "Babys 'R' Us"/"Toys 'R' Us" stores probably hurt, too. If I was a kid I know I wouldn't want to buy my TMNT figures next to the aisle where moms with screaming babies are picking up diapers. I wouldn't even want to walk in the door.

[plastroncafe]

Which boggles my mind, because I remember when the local mall got its first toystore (Kay-Bee). Prior to that K-Mart, Bradlees, and Woolworths were where we got our toys.

And the kid stuff was largely grouped together.

[sdp]

TRU got a lot of revenue from Babies R Us though, in fact all these closings are because Babies R Us is under-performing while toy sales aren't amazing they're normal but without the high profit margins of baby articles that Amazon and other online stores have taken TRU took a big hit. In general TRU isn't doing that bad, it just needs very high profit margins to be able to operate.

Long story short, TRU was purchased under a big loan, and to be able to make payments they need a certain profits margin or they can't pay the bills.

[Andrew NDB]

Which boggles my mind, because I remember when the local mall got its first toystore (Kay-Bee).

Mine too. It was there forever until maybe 10 years ago.

That was the whole reason to go to the mall as a kid. You know, play some games at the arcade (long gone), look at the toys in the toy stores (also long gone), then flip through some magazines and stuff at the book stores (also long gone). You could spend a good 2, 3 hours doing that and not being bored.

Why do kids even go to malls anymore?

[sdp]

Why do kids even go to malls anymore?

Malls are dying and have been dying for a decade. The mall model (http://time.com/4865957/death-and-life-shopping-mall/) just doesn't work anymore (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/robin-lewis/malls-are-the-new-anchors_b_5545761.html) and that's the reason, it's another lengthy explanation (http://www.businessinsider.com/are-malls-really-dying-2016-8) but you can find it if you google it,I linked some shorter "why are malls dying articles though.

That's why many malls are transitioning to be more like outlets to get people to go.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

That sucks for the business. They rely on that stuff. The thing is, people have always hated commercials, but there was no way around them. Now, with the growth of streaming, they're going to have to come up with other ways to adjust.

Parents are probably thrilled, though. I've heard many a tale of peoples parents getting annoyed and snipping about the "glorified toy commercials" we watched. Which... I mean, some old cartoons really were not much more than that.



The years from 1983 to 1996 were great to accompany an animated TV series and comics with action figures. Less government regulation, gave us and what most of us came to like. Heman in 1983, GI Joe and Transformers in 1984 and TMNT between 1987–1996 and many more.

Great things have been done later too, but sadly the number is limited because of reintroduced regulation.

https://www.awn.com/animationworld/dr-toon-when-reagan-met-optimus-prime

(this journalist seems to see it as a problem, but I don't care)

[dl316bh]

Kids of today outgrow toys fast. I have younger siblings and they're glued to the ipad, phone, or youtube all day.
I see that mentioned a lot by parents online these days, which is why I openly wondered if toys are still big business earlier. They really do have a lot more competition for kids attention these days.

By the time I was 10 I still bought some toys but I had for the most part moved on to video games, Once I had my Nintendo 64 I never asked for toys anymore only video games, I would still get one or two from time to time and still played with all my toys but yeah all my money was for video games and most of my time too.
That's how it was for me too. Once video games took hold, that was about it. Though I did hold on a bit past ten, primarily because I really liked Beast Wars, so I still occasionally asked for some Transformers toys.

Why do kids even go to malls anymore?
A place to hang out, if they go at all. As spd said, malls as we knew them are dying, as a natural consequence of internet ordering. I've seen it in person; some malls are like ghost towns with only a few open shops at a given time. They don't have enough unique about them to be worth going to, they're overpriced and most malls that go under are outside cities, which is where you're even likelier to just order something on the internet.

(this journalist seems to se it as a problem, but I don't care)
Eh, I agree with him. Nostalgia aside, most of those shows weren't very good and had the most obnoxious "buy this as a toy variant in stores soon" stuff. You really have to skim for the best episodes, nowadays. I'm not particularly sorry those days are over, if only for the sake of cartoon quality.

That said, those days brought about a lot of things that shaped my childhood, so I'm not sorry they happened, either.

[Andrew NDB]

A place to hang out, if they go at all. As spd said, malls as we knew them are dying, as a natural consequence of internet ordering. I've seen it in person; some malls are like ghost towns with only a few open shops at a given time. It was inevitable, Amazon or not.

Yeah, if it wasn't Amazon it would just be something else. I don't think it would have taken much longer than Amazon's creation for mankind to discover the "People like to be able to quickly and efficiently order stuff online" secret.

[dl316bh]

Yeah, if it wasn't Amazon it would just be something else. I don't think it would have taken much longer than Amazon's creation for mankind to discover the "People like to be able to quickly and efficiently order stuff online" secret.
It doesn't help that most US malls I've seen don't have anything interesting going on outside of the requisite movie theater, either. I've seen some thriving malls outside the US, but they've generally got more going on and if they don't, they're at least in cities.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

That said, those days brought about a lot of things that shaped my childhood, so I'm not sorry they happened, either.

Animated Batman improved quality during the arly-1990's and it was before the current legislation had entered full effect. So that would probably still happen. I'm not a big fan of government regulations for children's TV.

[dl316bh]

Animated Batman improved quality during the arly-1990's and it was before the current legislation had entered full effect. So that would probably still happen.
Maybe. Though the influence wasn't entirely shed back then either. But thankfully we didn't have to deal with an episode at a time showing off some variant armor we'd never see again because it was part of the toy line (and man, do I remember some of the stuff that came with the toys, it would have made the show ridiculous).

[Prowler]

Chapter 7 is the one where you go out of business. They filed for 11 which is just a restructure. I work at one and the wrestling and TMNT figures aren't THAT expensive. If 10 bucks is too much (which they're near that price range anywhere) don't buy any lol.
I have no idea how it is in USA. In my country, action figures are more expensive at TRU than at other places.

The closest store to me is closing. I frequent it a number of times, and I've always thought the staff was helpful. But it often feels like lots of empty space... except for December.
Yeah, TRU stores are big and feel quite empty.

By the time I was 10 I still bought some toys but I had for the most part moved on to video games, Once I had my Nintendo 64 I never asked for toys anymore only video games, I would still get one or two from time to time and still played with all my toys but yeah all my money was for video games and most of my time too.

That's a normal age I think, I'm sure tablets/phones are affecting a lot but the trend started many years ago I think.
I asked for toy up until I was 14 or so. When the 2k3 TMNt cartoon came out, I finally could achieve my childhood dream of having TMNT action figures. Asa teenager I got wrestling action figures and also played with them up until I was 18-19 or so. Ofc I loved video games more.

Yeah, if it wasn't Amazon it would just be something else. I don't think it would have taken much longer than Amazon's creation for mankind to discover the "People like to be able to quickly and efficiently order stuff online" secret.
Tbh I'm not a huge online shopping fan. I only use it as a last resource. I prefer going to a store, buying my item and having immediate access to it than having to wait a few days or more for the mailman to arrive with my order... and I might not be at home when he comes and then no one opens the door for him(I live in an apartment block) and I have to go pick up my order at the local post office station and wait sometimes in a long line. Not really fun.

Whenever I shop online it's usually clothes-. As in t-shirts and hoodies. You know why? because it's hard to find metal band t-shirts/hoodies(unless it's like Metallica or Iron Maiden) and video game ones at regular stores, so I gotta go online to get some cool ones. It's like every clothing store I go to only sells clothes for hipsters, metrossexuals and businessmen. It's weird.

[Andrew NDB]

This doesn't help the case but... most times I go to the store to buy something (like, a Gamestop for a game, or a Barnes and Noble for a particular book)... I can't find it. So I just go click click and order it from Amazon on my phone.

I feel bad about it but... what are you gonna do?

[sdp]

We're in a transitional period on how we get our stuff. Amazon launched the first store without registers. I'm guessing it'll be something like that and more to show products, they'll only carry the stuff you need.

Stuff like one day shipping and delivery to the stores will become the norm. We'll see these things as "normal" in during the mid/late 2020s.

[newfan]

As I said earlier, yes toys have taken a hit because of tech etc, but it's not gone, it's just less... and more with older children than young, younger children still play with toys.
There is also a difference between a child wanting and then playing with the toys much when they have them, there has always been the children who play more and those not so much. Some children really get into the video games and electronics and then others just play with them a little.

[Prowler]

I seriously doubt toys will ever stop existing. I also grew up with cellphones, computers, the internet, video games, etc... and still played with toys. Granted there is a major difference between a modern phone and a Nokia 3210 or 3310 that pretty much only had the game snake as a source of entertainment, but back then we didn't know any better. I had a lot of fun listening to the various ringtones my phone came with, for example. And snake was pretty addicting anyway.

Video games and electronic devices offer a very different experience from toys. In a video game your favourite characters have to follow the story or the setting written and developed by the programmers, not to mention they can only perform the moves they've been programmed to. With toys you make your own stories. Total freedom.

So yeah, toys will never stop being popular, I'd say.

[CyberCubed]

Times are changing. We're not in the 80's or 90's anymore, or even the early 2000's.

Most people shop online now, kids play with electronics over toys, people don't go to malls much anymore. We're in "the future" now. It is a different age, 2000's kids grew up in a totally different world than us old people.

I love change. Whenever something old goes away or goes out of business, I feel like I'm "in the future" as I never would have believed it would happen. For example there are barely any pay phones on the streets anymore, unbelieveable.

[Prowler]

Times are changing. We're not in the 80's or 90's anymore, or even the early 2000's.

Most people shop online now, kids play with electronics over toys, people don't go to malls much anymore. We're in "the future" now. It is a different age, 2000's kids grew up in a totally different world than us old people.

I love change. Whenever something old goes away or goes out of business, I feel like I'm "in the future" as I never would have believed it would happen. For example there are barely any pay phones on the streets anymore, unbelieveable.
People don't go to malls much anymore?! The two largest ones in my city are usually packed. Especially on weekends and around lunch/dinner time and in December. And I'm sure many of their chain stores also have online services.

Ofc many people buy stuff online these days, but if they can find an item at a physical store, they'll buy it there.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

People don't go to malls much anymore?

The USA are alwys some years ahead, including online shopping. Online shopping will soon kick in everywhere!

[newfan]

The USA are alwys some years ahead, including online shopping. Online shopping will soon kick in everywhere!


I don't think every country is too far behind you in terms of tech and internet, if that is what you mean?

I have been shopping on-line for years, I just also like to go to stores too. Besides browsing at what I want it can also be a social thing, meeting a family member or friend for coffee and then browse, plus my laptop cannot provide fragrance samples should I want perfume for instance :)
Also, in the case of toys, I find them more expensive on Amazon than in the stores.
Shopping in stores will have been affected by on-line shopping but it isn't gone :)

[IndigoErth]

Hi all. Sad news if you love shopping at TRU.
Or work there, as I'd considered, but I know they aren't doing much better than my own store. :ohwell: My sympathy to the employees, that's an awful lot of closings and well over the number closing for Sears (including mine) and Kmart combined (same owner). :(


That said, I'm really glad my local one is not on the list. Esp as the next nearest one is out of state almost 20 miles away.


People don't go to malls much anymore?!
Surprising as it is, a lot of malls are supposedly doing rather poorly anymore.

Although being packed doesn't correlate with the actual amount of shopping people are doing. People may well still be there, but buying less.

[dl316bh]

People don't go to malls much anymore?! The two largest ones in my city are usually packed. Especially on weekends and around lunch/dinner time and in December. And I'm sure many of their chain stores also have online services.
That's an entirely different situation and the reason is location. You're in a city. Malls still do pretty good business there. Those malls are centrally located in population dense areas. Therefore, it's not a huge deal to just walk down the block, take public transportation or swing by after work. The proximity also makes a convenience factor for some locals, in that they can stop in and pick up what they want, which can win out over lower prices, depending on the person.

Most US malls are outside cities and aren't really centrally located. You have to drive to a lot of them and on top of that the stuff is often overpriced. The convenience factor goes to online ordering, in that case, on top of lower prices, which makes the choice extra clear. So most US malls are at an intense disadvantage, have been falling apart and are struggling to figure out how to adapt.

[inaheap]

I think the problem with malls is that many have allowed the fun factor to erode away. When I was a kid I loved going my malls KB Toys. I think they had a Toys R Us at one time too. It also had a sporting goods store, pet store, and it's Sears store had everything. There was also EB Games and Gamestop. Basically there was a lot of fun stuff to look at, even if you only needed a spoon. But KB closed. Toys Ru Us has its own store. Sears closed. There are still sporting goods, pet, and game stores around but they are no longer part of the mall either. Most of what is left are clothing and home goods stores. Add in the depressing site of two empty anchor spots, and the fun factor is gone. No fun factor. I might as well get that spoon at BigBox place. It will likely be cheaper and faster. I think people came to have a good time as much as to shop.

As far as Toys R Us goes. I hope they don't. I'd rather buy from them .Mine is priced in line with everyone else. My issue is they are often way behind in getting TMNT stuff. At least the playmates stuff. I wonder if they shouldn't shift more focus on adult collector toys. After all these are the same people and toylines that supported them in their Hey Day. And a lot of us have much bigger allowances than we used to.

[Andrew NDB]

KB Toys and such wouldn't have closed down in malls if they were still turning a profit.

Where malls may or may not have gone wrong, I think, is in allowing that to happen. There should always be a reputable toy store and bookstore in any mall, and some kind of "activity center" whether it's an arcade or whatnot... I think we can all agree on that. Where malls could possibly have stepped in is in possibly giving incentives for those toy stores, bookstores, etc., to stay open. i.e., offer discounted leasing contingent on those stores hitting less-than-favorable profit margins. Because when those stores go away, everybody goes away. And has. I feel like instead of shifting with the times and allowing for more affordable leasing options, malls like ones owned by Westfield and such, just kept jacking up their rates regardless.

[dl316bh]

There should always be a reputable toy store and bookstore in any mall, and some kind of "activity center" whether it's an arcade or whatnot... I think we can all agree on that.
Some malls in Taiwan have that s*** on lock. There's one just built in the last few years in Kaohsiung, Taroko Park, that's a mall built into an amusement park, basically. There's a go-kart track and all sorts of things. Booths for VR games, the typical movie theater, basketball courts and other things inside.

[Candy Kappa]

I think shopping centers/malls are doing okay here in Norway, at least in my city as a new one was built recently. And online shopping is huge here, hence why the import charges are outrageous

[Prowler]

That's an entirely different situation and the reason is location. You're in a city. Malls still do pretty good business there. Those malls are centrally located in population dense areas. Therefore, it's not a huge deal to just walk down the block, take public transportation or swing by after work. The proximity also makes a convenience factor for some locals, in that they can stop in and pick up what they want, which can win out over lower prices, depending on the person.

Most US malls are outside cities and aren't really centrally located. You have to drive to a lot of them and on top of that the stuff is often overpriced. The convenience factor goes to online ordering, in that case, on top of lower prices, which makes the choice extra clear. So most US malls are at an intense disadvantage, have been falling apart and are struggling to figure out how to adapt.
I see. Didn't know that.

Yeah malls here tend to be in densely populated urban areas. Although some aren't that successful and a few have closed down... but those are small malls that mostly survive from the food places they have. Those smallish malls from the 80s are no longer that successful here, with people preferring the large ones

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

The thing is, people have always hated commercials.

I don't know if children hate commercials that much.

[MikeandRaph87]

Bz81ZO0qfvI
It might have helped having a drive thru service.

_dssZcpYfs4

Retrommercials.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

That song must have echoed all the way from Space Invaders during the late-1980's to TMNT during the late-1980's and early-1990's.

[Autbot_Benz]

Toys R Us might start liquadating stores

http://fortune.com/2018/03/08/toys-r-us-bankruptcy-liquidation/?utm_campaign=time&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&xid=time_socialflow_twitter



Toys “R” Us Inc. is making preparations for a liquidation of its bankrupt U.S. operations after so far failing to find a buyer or reach a debt restructuring deal with lenders, according to people familiar with the matter. While the situation is still fluid, a shutdown of the U.S. division has become increasingly likely in recent days, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Hopes are fading that a buyer will emerge to keep some of the business operating, or that lenders will agree on terms of a debt restructuring, the people said. The toy chain’s U.S. division entered bankruptcy in September, planning to emerge with a leaner business model and more manageable debt. A new $3.1 billion loan was obtained to keep the stores open during the turnaround effort, but results worsened more than expected during the holidays, casting doubt on the chain’s viability. The situation has also deteriorated for many of the retailer’s overseas divisions, which weren’t part of the bankruptcy. Toys “R” Us’s U.K. unit put itself in the hands of a court administrator after discussions about selling the business fell apart. Its European arm is seeking takeover bids. And talks are being held to offload the growing Asian business, the company’s most profitable arm. It’s not yet clear what will happen to the Canadian unit, which filed at the same time as the U.S. division. A representative for Wayne, New Jersey-based Toys “R” Us declined to comment. Read more about America’s retail apocalypse The news sent shares of the biggest toymakers tumbling in late trading. Mattel Inc. fell as much as 6.1 percent, while Hasbro Inc. declined 3 percent. The downfall of Toys “R” Us can be traced back to a $7.5 billion leveraged buyout in 2005, when Bain Capital, KKR & Co. and Vornado Realty Trust loaded the company with debt. For years, the retailer was able to refinance its debt and delay a reckoning. But the emergence of online competitors, like Amazon.com Inc., weighed on results. The company’s massive interest payments also sucked up resources that could have gone toward technology and improving operations. Facing broader concerns about the brick-and-mortar industry, the company was finally pushed to hire debt-restructuring advisers last year. Its worsening situation, along with reports that it was considering bankruptcy, spooked vendors — with about 40 percent of them ceasing shipments and forcing the company to seek court protection. That quick descent meant the retailer entered bankruptcy without a plan for how to restructure its debt, which made finding a way to exit more difficult.
Risk Taker

The liquidation will be a big blow for the toy industry, as the chain makes up about 15 percent of U.S. toy revenue. Moreover, the retailer was willing to take chances on new products and small companies. Bigger competitors like Walmart Inc. and Target Corp. would typically take a more cautious approach. The company entered this year with more than 800 stores in the U.S. — under both the Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us brands. In January, it announced the shuttering of 180 locations. It’s not unusual for bankrupt retailers to ultimately liquidate, but Toys “R” Us took an optimistic stance when it filed for bankruptcy in September. It initially pledged not to close stores, and its earnings had shown improvement by some measures. Toys “R” Us generated $11.5 billion in sales in 2016. And though the company hadn’t reported an annual profit since its 2013 fiscal year because of interest payments, its operating income had risen 22 percent, to $460 million. The company was founded in 1948 when Charles Lazarus opened Children’s Bargain Town, a baby-furniture store. Over the decades, it grew into the largest U.S. toy chain. In the early 1990s, sales were increasing at a 10 percent annual clip. In more recent years, sluggish traffic and the shift online took their toll. In the 12 months through September, Toys “R” Us sales declined 5 percent.

[joe-eyeball]

It’s kind of sad that moving forward there is a good chance I won’t be able to say to my kids “hey, you guys want to go to the toy store” because they will no longer exist!

[dl316bh]

Pretty sad, for nostalgia reasons, but I wondered if it was coming when they filed for bankruptcy.

[Storm Eagle]

I made a mistake and thought one near me was closing. It turns out that it's actually the Babies R Us that's further down the street from that store. Now it might not matter since they might be closing all of the stores.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Well, it sucks if true...

But heck, it might be a good time to stock up on stuff. I wouldn't mind buying up some deeply discounted Legos and Mega Bloks. We'll have to see...

[IndigoErth]

When I couldn't find my Turtles at my Walmart or Target, it was Toys R Us that came through for me... Now it's really screwed and I guess it's for the best that the first Nick series ended and the next might not be appealing to buy much from. :ohwell: But given another better series someday... Just makes it harder to find them as I don't have much other options around here and I don't want to pay twice as much online. :(

Poor Toys R Us. Would never have imagined we'd live in a time where a toy store just can't survive. Esp when it has no real competition from other actual toy stores, just half-assed toy aisles and the internet... Incredibly sad. (Who plays with toys anymore it's all about playing with your phone...) I guess that ship may go down right alongside Sears (who I work for).

[Leonardo_thebest]

Toys R Us in Canada is a disaster. It's no longer the Shangrila it used to be.

[dl316bh]

I guess that ship may go down right alongside Sears (who I work for).
It's funny, I actually would have thought Toys 'R Us would have outlived Sears. They have not been doing well for years now. Half their stores are stuck in the barren tombs we used to call shopping malls, with barely any visible foot traffic, and the smaller outlets don't seem to fare much better.

[Katie]

The problem with Toys R us is they loaded themselves down with debt around 2008. Before that they were nearly debt free. I looked at their financials and they have not had much of a dip in sales. They’re pretty steady foe a retail store.

I thought maybe they could work it out with creditors, but they defaulted on that vendor payment, so I guess not.

[MikeandRaph87]

The problem with Toys R us is they loaded themselves down with debt around 2008. Before that they were nearly debt free. I looked at their financials and they have not had much of a dip in sales. They’re pretty steady foe a retail store.

I thought maybe they could work it out with creditors, but they defaulted on that vendor payment, so I guess not.

What did TRU do in 2008 to take on such debt?

[Autbot_Benz]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/03/14/toys-r-us-to-close-all-800-of-its-u-s-stores/?utm_term=.7fbcfb6383e6

Toys R Us to close all 800 of its us stores

[Shark_Blade]

Goodbye old friend. :cry::tcry:

[The Deadman]

I'm an employee there and can confirm. Conference call happened an hour after I left today. Was told by a co-worker the plan is to try and save 100 stores and to liquidate everything in 60 days.

[TurtleWA]

Also I thought that article said someone was interested in purchasing 400 of the stores and keeping the Toys R Us name. Did I read that wrong? :tconfuse:

[Autbot_Benz]

As my friend on twitter put it. Toys R Us was always overpriced, Selection was terrible and you could go to Walmart Target or Amazon and get the same thing for half of what TRU wanted you to pay for

[The Deadman]

Also I thought that article said someone was interested in purchasing 400 of the stores and keeping the Toys R Us name. Did I read that wrong? :tconfuse:

One goal is to keep 200 US stores with the Canadian ones under a Canadian buyer, the other is for one of the vendors to buy 400 of the stores and keep them around. Who knows if the latter will happen.

[Andrew NDB]

Any idea how long the existing stores will be kept open? My daughter got a $200 gift card for Toys 'R' Us on Christmas and we still haven't used it.

[Katie]

What did TRU do in 2008 to take on such debt?

They were purchased by a private equity firm which immediately cashed out its investment by adding $5.8 million in debt to their balance sheet. That’s what killed them. Even with Amazon and other competiton, they wouldn’t have died without all that debt.

[TurtleWA]

Any idea how long the existing stores will be kept open? My daughter got a $200 gift card for Toys 'R' Us on Christmas and we still haven't used it.

My GF is going to use our kids gift card tomorrow and pick him up something. Was also a Christmas gift. Not taking any chances.

“When Borders began liquidating its stores in July 2011, about 17.7 million gift cards were left outstanding.”

https://m.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Kohl-s-might-be-making-the-same-catastrophic-12209562.php

[Powder]

Any idea how long the existing stores will be kept open? My daughter got a $200 gift card for Toys 'R' Us on Christmas and we still haven't used it.

Don't think there's an ETA just yet, but making use of it soon would probably be in y'alls best interest to be safe.

[MikeandRaph87]

They were purchased by a private equity firm which immediately cashed out its investment by adding $5.8 million in debt to their balance sheet. That’s what killed them. Even with Amazon and other competiton, they wouldn’t have died without all that debt.

So a private equity firm which was already in debt bought Toys R' Us?

Its a shame. I still go to to Toys R' Us to look for TMNT figures or Christmas stuff. Granted its 3 to 4 times a year not monthly like I was as a kid in the 90s'. Many memories from playing in the Play School display to Pok'emon card tournaments!

[sdp]

Simplified version of the story is TRUs went on sale and in order to acquire it, the buyer went into a lot of debt to get it. This was no problem when TRU was making enough money to pay the rather big sum of money it bought TRU for. The problem was a lot of their sales were from Baby stuff and when Amazon and others took that turf TRU just couldnt pay their loan anymore.

Toys sales were never horrible despite "kids not playing with toys", I mean they also sold video games, its just that toys alone couldnt pay the loan and the loan was gotten to acquire TRU.


Its definitely an end of an era I loved going to my TRU and would go every saturday when they had their Pokemon League for the TCG. I always preordered games there to get exclusive stuff and it always felt magical. I used to have a Im a TRU kid sweater as a child. They even gave special boxes with small gifts inside back in the days of video games behind paper prices.

Without KB Toys, there just wont be a magical place for kids to go to anymore.

[CyberCubed]

We millennials do a lot of our shopping online now. I can't remember the last time I went to a store to buy a videogame or a toy.

To be honest I wonder what this means for future TMNT cartoons. They just revealed the new Rise of TMNT figures...and now Toys R us is closing before they're even released. Now they only have what...Walmart and Target to release in?

[IndigoErth]

Just makes me a little ill to think of my one and only local Toys R Us gone... Not sure how long it's been there, but I can't remember it not being there in that building. If some did get saved somehow, I wish it would be among them... :tsad:

A lot of things are claimed to supposedly "ruin" childhood, but this... Yeah, this one is kinda real. :ohwell: Maybe there is Walmart, Target, etc. (or maybe no etc), but their selections are limited. Online... sure, but it hardly compares to a kid stepping foot in a store, choosing something on their own, and getting to take it home right then and there. The internet may have a wider selection, but the shopping is kinda hallow in comparison... :tsad:



My total sympathy, The Deadman, if you stick with it until the end through liquidation, and to all employees that do. From experience... it's like Black Friday hell that lasts for months instead of one day. (And, at least for us, can't help but feeling a little sore that people are finally interested in shopping in a place now that jobs will be lost... But I've at least talked to quite a few kind customers that have wished us well.) Kind of makes me want to stop in mine once all that starts, at least to have a last look around, and offer my condolences from one closing store employee to others...



And Andrew, I'd use that gift card pronto. Supposedly the UK stores already stopped accepting them, so who knows how long it will go for the U.S. Even if it's usable throughout liquidation (though not guaranteed), imo I'd get in there before anything your daughter actually wants is gone.

[MrPliggins]

I remember their huge aisles of TMNT figures in the '80s and '90s at $3.69 a pop. They're really the last "big" one of my childhood toy stores left. Kaybee, Children's Palace, Kiddie City, Family Toy Warehouse are all long gone. Alas, all good things must come to an end.

[sdp]

This will have a huge impact on the toy industry, maybe not so much this year but next year we'll see more of the outcome. It'll affect all companies, especially smaller ones like say NECA. Companies are already losing money on figures since TRU is asking them for a discount and they have to take the loss because the alternative is they get nothing from product already "sold" to TRU.

Remember when all lines became 3.75 after the financial crisis?

[Storm Eagle]

Any idea how long the existing stores will be kept open? My daughter got a $200 gift card for Toys 'R' Us on Christmas and we still haven't used it.

I got one of my cousins a $25 gift card for Christmas, and I still don't know if he has ever used it yet. If anything, there are places where you can just cash the gift card if it ever becomes too late to use it at a TRU store. I recommend raise.com.

[inaheap]

I can't remember the last time I went to a store to buy a videogame or a toy.

I can. Was in my TRU two weeks ago. Mine has always been priced right in line with other stores in the area. Problem is usually they are a Wave or two behind. That was not always a bad thing though. I hope somebody does buy them, and keeps them a toy store. We still need toy stores.

[Papenbrook]

Rest in peace, Toys "R" Us®. :(

May the workers be granted with the best wishes for their future.

[Autbot_Benz]

TRU Gift Cards are good for 30 days

https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/427268002?__twitter_impression=true

[IndigoErth]

I got one of my cousins a $25 gift card for Christmas, and I still don't know if he has ever used it yet. If anything, there are places where you can just cash the gift card if it ever becomes too late to use it at a TRU store. I recommend raise.com.
But would sites like that still take gift cards that no longer have any value though, if too late...? I can't see them doing that.

[dl316bh]

https://kotaku.com/toys-r-us-rip-one-last-trip-to-toy-heaven-1823816178

------------

I've been reading it isn't even Amazon or video games that killed Toys 'R' Us. It still could have survived. No, it was bought years back and used as a debt dumping ground, with designs for it to fail using accounting tricks to rack up debt and stifle its ability to adjust to a changing market, mainly to profit off its failure. Private equity in action.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2017/09/20/toys-r-us-is-a-lesson-in-how-bad-assumptions-feed-bad-financial-planning-creating-failure/#7582e5958eab

So yeah. Hedge funds killed Toys 'R' Us, not a changing world. That's kind of disgusting, to me.

[IndigoErth]

It's pretty much the exact thing that has happened to Sears as well; CEO is some former Goldman Sach's, financial investor, hedge fund guy... Not a businessman who cares about the retail industry. He never touched retail before Sears/Kmart.

Sounds like people are grabbing these companies to bleed them dry for their own gain. And to do it to such longtime businesses is particularly disgusting...

As I've wondered before about my own... wonder who they'll buy next to bleed the life out of? :(

[Storm Eagle]

I can. Was in my TRU two weeks ago. Mine has always been priced right in line with other stores in the area. Problem is usually they are a Wave or two behind. That was not always a bad thing though. I hope somebody does buy them, and keeps them a toy store. We still need toy stores.

I did get an SNES Classic last year from TRU, for a friend who couldn't get one for herself. I also bought two amiibos last year. Before that, the last video game I ever got from them was The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii back in 2007, and even got a Wii before that time in the same year.

But would sites like that still take gift cards that no longer have any value though, if too late...? I can't see them doing that.

Okay now I just learned that the site I suggested is only taking them from select sellers. Even I wouldn't be able to do it for some reason. I was just trying to help anyway.

[inaheap]

I wonder if they will remain online since they are keeping their Canadian stores.

[DarkFell]

It was bought years back and used as a debt dumping ground, with designs for it to fail using accounting tricks to rack up debt and stifle its ability to adjust to a changing market, mainly to profit off its failure. Private equity in action.

So yeah. Hedge funds killed Toys 'R' Us, not a changing world. That's kind of disgusting, to me.
That is a really sh*tty way of maintaining a company. 'Maintaining' is used loosely here.

It's also sad to know that the place 'Where A Kid Can Be A Kid', will no longer be around for anyone / everyone to enjoy.

Like Inaheap mentioned, I also wonder if TrU will go on to be an online store. For example, Circuit City became an online store after it ceased to be a physical superstore chain back in 2009.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I found some news here

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/toys-r-us-is-still-facing-major-challenges-in-the-liquidation-process-2018-03-16

[Storm Eagle]

So here's one of my best TRU memories I from 2007 when I got a Wii, which was actually on this day of that year.

I got up early one Sunday morning to go to a Target to see if they might have one. I read somewhere that they usually start selling new shipments of them on Sunday, and they tend to go in two hours. I went to Target, and found nothing. Then I went to another Target, and found nothing. So I decided to go to TRU, which wasn't even opened yet. I drove by one, and I saw people out there standing on a line, yet not a long one. I'm sitting in my car wondering what a bunch of grown ass people, and not many kids, could be doing lined up in front of a store like TRU. Later on I just decided to go and ask what it was all about. The ones I asked said they were on line hoping to get a Wii. So I just decided to wait with them. Then this lady comes out handing out flyers saying that they have Wiis available, and she said there are about 100 of them in stock. That was more than enough to satisfy the length of the queue. Now what I had overlooked was that I had to accept Sonic and the Secret Rings in the package, and that just added about $50 more to the cost. Thankfully I actually had enough money on me to accept the bundle. We all even got $30 gift cards with our bundles. I didn't really want the game, and I was going to try and sell it. I was actually able to return it to a store the day after. Then I used the gift card to buy The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

[The Deadman]

Looks like May 14th is the last day for some employees.

[Panda_Kahn_fan]

...and now there is rumblings that K-B toys might be returning from the dead to fill in the gap left by Toys-r-us. Talk about expecting the unexpected XD

[Andrew NDB]

...and now there is rumblings that K-B toys might be returning from the dead to fill in the gap left by Toys-r-us. Talk about expecting the unexpected XD

Makes sense. The largest toystore is kaput, drowned under its own debt. Kay B has had 20 years to learn from both its own mistakes as well as Toys 'R' Us's and -- hopefully -- how to be and stay relevant.

Though this may fall into "be careful what you wish for" territory. I imagine a Kay B toystore in 2018 would probably largely look like this:

https://houseofgeekery.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/pop-vinyl.jpg

[The Deadman]

You say that like its a bad thing

[Powder]

You say that like its a bad thing

It is. A VERY bad thing.

[AquaParade]

What is Funko Pop's secret to success? Is it the ability to obtain licenses to whatever they desire, in a way their competition fails at?

I have one Funko Pop, and it's a Gerard Way one. It's not that I am in love with the Funko design, but where else was I going to find a purchasable figure of Gerard Way or a shirtless Jeff Goldblum?

[Donatello19]

I think it's just the fact that they have pretty much any license you can think of, they're inexpensive, and they're everywhere. I think they're cheap, ugly and a really embarrassing way for Funko to cash in on "geek culture"...but I'd be lying if I said I haven't picked up a few. For example, the Hercules set that just released. Disney never gives Hercules any new merch, so I'll take what I can get :P

I'll really miss TRU, it's been a part of my childhood forever and some of my earliest memories involve going there. It's sad to see it go, but I can't say I'm surprised. There's one right around my house and every time I've went in in the past few years, it's been a ghost town. It's busy NOW with everyone using up their gift cards and trying to get good sales, busiest I've seen it since the amiibo craze a few years back.

[sdp]

I never liked KB Toys as a kid, their prices for regular stuff was always higher and they didn't have as much variety. I still have nostalgia for it and those bins full of discounted toys andas a kid it was a must stop for me every time we went to the mall right after babbages and Walden Books.


I hate Funko's it's the eyes that kill the designs for me, if not I might be all over them since I don't mind the super deformed look too much even if most look so generic since they're almost the same molds. I don't understand the appeal but whatever, I have to give them credit that they've made figures of things I never expected to ever get figures. Too bad I still won't get them because they're so ugly.

[Storm Eagle]

What is Funko Pop's secret to success? Is it the ability to obtain licenses to whatever they desire, in a way their competition fails at?

I have one Funko Pop, and it's a Gerard Way one. It's not that I am in love with the Funko design, but where else was I going to find a purchasable figure of Gerard Way or a shirtless Jeff Goldblum?

What's so big about those things anyway? Besides their heads.

[inaheap]

It's funny because the more I think about it the more I realize a lot of my good memories are actually from KBToys. They weren't necessarily better, but they were the only toy store left in the mall after Toys R Us got their own store. That meant it was easier to get a trip there as a kid.

[Vegita-San]

i don't get it either. if it where not for the creepy eyes they might be cute

[funatic]

I have one Funko Pop, and it's a Gerard Way one. It's not that I am in love with the Funko design, but where else was I going to find a purchasable figure of Gerard Way or a shirtless Jeff Goldblum?

Haha, I just caved and bought my first-ever Pop as well... the latter:
http://i66.tinypic.com/a2aopl.png
Too ridiculous to resist. Funko is Chaos Theory at it's finest, they uh... find a way.

[The Deadman]

What is Funko Pop's secret to success? Is it the ability to obtain licenses to whatever they desire, in a way their competition fails at?

I have one Funko Pop, and it's a Gerard Way one. It's not that I am in love with the Funko design, but where else was I going to find a purchasable figure of Gerard Way or a shirtless Jeff Goldblum?

Target

10 characters

[plastroncafe]

I've got several Funkos, but I've only purchased four of them:

Kamala Khan/Ms Marvel, Darkwing, Launchpad, and Gosylin Mallard.
I'm sad I missed the Hei-Hei one from SDCC last year.

[ProactiveMan]

Funko Pops are the collectible equivalent of clip-art, and if they didn't come in a box that told you who they were supposed to be, you wouldn't be able to guess half the time. "Oh!? That's... brown haired man in t-shirt. I love that... thing that he's in!?"

Those things will be roadbase in the not too distant future, along with Phantom Menace toys.

[TurtleWA]

Funko Pops are the collectible equivalent of clip-art, and if they didn't come in a box that told you who they were supposed to be, you wouldn't be able to guess half the time. "Oh!? That's... brown haired man in t-shirt. I love that... thing that he's in!?"

Those things will be roadbase in the not too distant future, along with Phantom Menace toys.

What are the signs a craze/fad is ending? I’m not into these but my girlfriend has a Buffy and Spike POP. I decided on a quick completed auctions ebay search to see what some top dollar POPs go for. OMG $9,600 with 62bids for the SOA POP.

https://s9.postimg.org/58qov6x7z/7721_A650-5_A0_E-4_E73-_BFEE-_A808_ADC333_D7.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/5y9h7jxrf/)

[funatic]

I decided on a quick completed auctions ebay search to see what some top dollar POPs go for. OMG $9,600 with 62bids for the SOA POP.

:teek::dead:

I'm sure there are a handful of wealthy collectors who need EVERY. ONE. These are like the Beanie Babies of this generation. I mean... https://www.ebay.com/i/151086754646?chn=ps&dispItem=1

[The Deadman]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bratz-toy-makers-ceo-wants-to-salvage-toys-r-us/

[The Deadman]

And the founder has died

https://amp.cnn.com/money/2018/03/22/news/companies/toys-r-us-founder-obituary/index.html

[MikeandRaph87]

The timing of this is very strange. It is like he had a weak heart and his company dying caused harm to his weak heart.:tcry:

[triplexxx]

Another of those eerie coincidences people will probably be talking about for some time. The emperor passes away at the same time as his empire. RIP Charles Lazarus, you and your creation both had a great run.

[Storm Eagle]

R.I.P. Charles Lazarus, and thanks for being a part of my youth.

Since stores are going to start liquidating, I'd like to get a Pro Controller for the Switch. I believe it would come in handy for the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection for when it comes out.

I went to a store before work, and they actually had three of the special edition sets for Breath of the Wild.

[The Deadman]

I caught a sneak peek of the discounts last night and they arent too mindblowing. The most you'll have off of something is 30%, everything else hovers around 10%. I'm sure it'll increase as everything inches closer to closing day. Also if you have a Rewards card, you can't use it. Can't price match anything either.

[Papenbrook]

And the founder has died

https://amp.cnn.com/money/2018/03/22/news/companies/toys-r-us-founder-obituary/index.html

I send my deepest condolences to his friends and loved ones.

Rest in peace, Charles Lazarus.

[Storm Eagle]

I caught a sneak peek of the discounts last night and they arent too mindblowing. The most you'll have off of something is 30%, everything else hovers around 10%. I'm sure it'll increase as everything inches closer to closing day. Also if you have a Rewards card, you can't use it. Can't price match anything either.

I came from a store about an hour and a half hour ago, and they didn't have any Pro Controllers. Even if they did, I'd have only gotten a 10% discount on it. I can do better at Amazon. I also heard someone at the store say that the discounts will be better when they get closer to the closing day, but I doubt they'd have anymore of what I'm interested in by then.

[The Deadman]

I did some snooping earlier on and for the stores that were included in "wave 2" of the liquidation process (that's everything that wasnt apart of the first 100 or so stores), the end goal is June 30th to have everything closed. A checklist said that the next wave of discounts start on the 29th but who knows if thats legit.

[The Deadman]

Toys 'R' Us rejects bid from Bratz CEO
http://money.cnn.com/2018/04/17/news/companies/toys-r-us-rejects-bratz-ceo/index.html

[inaheap]

Someone explain to me how the bid was too low. Seems anything is better than nothing.

[plastroncafe]

I'd imagine that the bid wouldn't cover all the debts, where as utterly liquidating the company's assets would?

[sdp]

A debtor seeks to maximize the recovery from the sale of an estate asset, rest assured that no matter what the debts are not going to be recovered so they want to at the very least get the most that they can. It could also be because the bid is not secure and it can fall through. They just want to minimize the losses.

Toyfair 2019 will be depressing.

[The Deadman]

Toys R Us will live on in Canada
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2018/04/24/toys-r-us-live-canada-but-so-far-not-u-s/548377002/

[The Deadman]

Welp, it's 28 days before Toys R Us closes it's doors for good, and since I only work there on weekends now....this is going to be brutal. I've never been part of something like this and I'm not looking forward to it. Woohoo.

[Redeemer]

Welp, it's 28 days before Toys R Us closes it's doors for good, and since I only work there on weekends now....this is going to be brutal. I've never been part of something like this and I'm not looking forward to it. Woohoo.

Hey how much is the inventory discounted down to now?

[MikeandRaph87]

Hey how much is the inventory discounted down to now?

My local store is 40%-50%.

[The Deadman]

Hey how much is the inventory discounted down to now?

40 to 60%

will prolly go higher this week

[IndigoErth]

Welp, it's 28 days before Toys R Us closes it's doors for good, and since I only work there on weekends now....this is going to be brutal. I've never been part of something like this and I'm not looking forward to it. Woohoo.
After now seeing a few commercials about it just recently I'd wondered if closure was coming up soon. :ohwell: So sad. Will stop in at least once more... There is a kid's TMNT chair I'd been considering.

I know the remaining days, esp the weekends, are prob gonna be rough. As tough as it was at my store, I don't envy working in a store where the entire company is closing. Hang in there. It'll be crazy, but it'll hopefully get easier closer to the end as the merchandise becomes much less to deal with.

[MikeandRaph87]

My city lost K-Mart, Sears, and Toys 'R Us in a matter of four months. The age of department stores is over.

[Raph's Girl]

My city lost K-Mart, Sears, and Toys 'R Us in a matter of four months. The age of department stores is over.

K-Mart closed up shop here several years ago. The Sears here was just listed in the last week as closing...sad part is that Toys R Us is next door to Sears...

[The Deadman]

Interesting
https://nypost.com/2018/06/06/former-toys-r-us-boss-has-plan-to-salvage-chain/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-05/toys-r-us-had-advanced-talks-with-sycamore-before-liquidating

[IndigoErth]

Well, if KB can try to come back, maybe TRU can try to resurrect someday too in some form.

Was just reading that Friday is the last day. :ohwell: Going to be so sad seeing our only local store sitting there empty after all these years.




http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/sites/222/2018/03/image1-11-293x300.jpeg

[Storm Eagle]

Well, if KB can try to come back, maybe TRU can try to resurrect someday too in some form.

Was just reading that Friday is the last day. :ohwell: Going to be so sad seeing our only local store sitting there empty after all these years.

http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/sites/222/2018/03/image1-11-293x300.jpeg

Dat image tho. Dang.

Since I was doing some driving yesterday morning before work, I decided to have a look at the TRU near me, and I thought it was the last day where they'd be selling things. They were already closed though.

I was at a mall today where there was a TRU, and kids made these "goodbye notes" to put on display in the window.


https://i.imgur.com/yn0y0rx.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/Rhhm1u7.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/UO1m6um.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/p5ra8lu.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/W4NwBTr.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/zOi5rY4.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/t06vyJU.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/sGFTU36.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/kIVUhoj.jpg?1

[Darth Knuckles]

Dat image tho. Dang.

Since I was doing some driving yesterday morning before work, I decided to have a look at the TRU near me, and I thought it was the last day where they'd be selling things. They were already closed though.

I was at a mall today where there was a TRU, and kids made these "goodbye notes" to put on display in the window.


https://i.imgur.com/yn0y0rx.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/Rhhm1u7.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/UO1m6um.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/p5ra8lu.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/W4NwBTr.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/zOi5rY4.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/t06vyJU.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/sGFTU36.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/kIVUhoj.jpg?1


Man Storm Eagle, that got me in the feels. :tcry: I hated hearing this news earlier this year. Of course for all of the employees who would lose their jobs but also for all of the kids now and beyond. It was tough for me to hear the news because I have so many great memories of going there as a kid. It was a magical place for a kid to go and spend time in a store like that. I feel really sad for all of the kids who had to say good bye to it now and for kids in the future who may never see a toy store like Toys R Us again. To me the fun and memories in Toys R Us are priceless and it's really tough to see them go. I'll always be a Toys R Us kid.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

It's funny is how Toys R' Us spell with the R backwards in the logotype, as it's easy to pretend a little child would spell by doing a mistake after just learning reading and writing. (I guess the company wants a childish image)

But when a child spells (I guess that Bella girl is about 5-6 years old), it's correct. :)

[IndigoErth]

I was at a mall today where there was a TRU, and kids made these "goodbye notes" to put on display in the window.

:tcry:

Then there is also the final message TRU has left on their own site.

http://www.toysrus.com/homepage/TRU_Homepage_TopCMS.jpg

Though there is also this from their FB page. So with any luck maybe they'll find a way to stick around or come back in some way.

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/36369115_10156624807336494_7790908617237987328_n.j pg?_nc_cat=1&oh=6a9cdbdbbdf07a16b4a71263bc12e385&oe=5B9E633A


Since I was doing some driving yesterday morning before work, I decided to have a look at the TRU near me, and I thought it was the last day where they'd be selling things. They were already closed though.
:tsad: Aw. Well I suppose it's a good thing though as it sounds like they sold well enough to close early.


I was half temped to go stop in at mine yesterday, but with school out maybe it's best to skip the crowd. Last I was in there maybe a couple weeks ago I'd already made the point of taking a quick look back before I walked out and mentally said goodbye in case that was the last visit.

[wpugh2424]

Wish I could have stopped by before they closed
Glad to be on vacation but would have loved to see it one more time

[Lisardo]

My city lost K-Mart, Sears, and Toys 'R Us in a matter of four months. The age of department stores is over.

Sad isn't it? Admittedly I do shop online for some things, and I can see the convenience of having it delivered to your door, but sometimes it's easier to just go into a store and physically 'see' everything to make a decision on what you want to buy. Sometimes you'll see unexpected sales in a physical store, which aren't always as obvious online. Also, it's less rewarding to sit and wait for a delivery. With clothing, I HAVE to try them on first, esp. if they are fits, brands, and styles I'm not familiar with (and I'm a weird fit in general).

But Toys R'Us closing is indeed sad, because for some of us on this forum, it's like the end of our childhood memories, :( Some of us bought our first NES games in those stores in the '80s, and memorable action figures from cartoons and movies. But deep down, we'll all forever be Toys R'Us kids!

[Leo656]

My wife and I swung by our "local" one on Rt. 18 on Thursday. We didn't get to get anything; we vowed to each get at least one thing as our way of saying "goodbye", but it's the end of the month so nothing left on the credit card, and we hadn't considered that they'd be strictly doing credit card purchases in the final days and I'm a cash-only kinda guy. :ohwell: So we left empty, but the pickings were beyond slim. Even most of the fixtures had already been sold off or given away. Most of what was left was actually a gigantic mountain of baby wipes. :lol: Lots of Steve Trevor action figures, along with Alpha from the Power Rangers reboot, some off-brand stuff, some Jared Leto Joker Bend-'Ems, and of all things, a pile of Paas "Spider-Man 2" sticker book sets. :lol: I'm almost 100% sure those must've turned up while they were cleaning the place out, and someone figured "Screw it, try and make a buck."

Pretty depressing altogether. It moved from its original location a few years ago, but it was still technically the same one I went to as a little kid. I feel bad, because we hadn't gone there for a few years until right before Christmas, and now this. Up until about ten years ago, my wife and I used to go every weekend.

This sucks.

[Coola Yagami]

Yep, really glad I went last Sunday cause I was stuck at work on Friday, the very last day. My last purchases were Ryu and Ken Funko Pops in unique poses. I think the first thing I ever got from Toys R Us back in the day was the 8-bit Nintendo.

[Leo656]

First things I remember getting was Castle Greyskull and Snake Mountain. But it might've been He-Man figures. Almost definitely one or the other, but it's blurry.

I honestly can't remember if it was K-Mart or Toys R Us, but they had this awesome promotional thing once where He-Man, Skeletor, and She-Ra showed up to take Polaroids with all the kids, and everyone got an awesome poster. My Dad brought me and my sister to that. I want to say it was Toys R Us but the K-Mart around here used to do similar awesome stuff like that, so it's tough to remember.

The last things my wife and I ever bought there ended up being each others' Christmas presents. I got her some Jay & Silent Bob action figures, and an Undertaker box set, and she got me The Legend of Zelda Monopoly, which was technically the Very Last Thing either of us ever bought.

[Storm Eagle]

Though there is also this from their FB page. So with any luck maybe they'll find a way to stick around or come back in some way.

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/36369115_10156624807336494_7790908617237987328_n.j pg?_nc_cat=1&oh=6a9cdbdbbdf07a16b4a71263bc12e385&oe=5B9E633A



I saw that. I wonder just how things will be if they ever do come back in some capacity.

Sad isn't it? Admittedly I do shop online for some things, and I can see the convenience of having it delivered to your door, but sometimes it's easier to just go into a store and physically 'see' everything to make a decision on what you want to buy. Sometimes you'll see unexpected sales in a physical store, which aren't always as obvious online. Also, it's less rewarding to sit and wait for a delivery. With clothing, I HAVE to try them on first, esp. if they are fits, brands, and styles I'm not familiar with (and I'm a weird fit in general).

But Toys R'Us closing is indeed sad, because for some of us on this forum, it's like the end of our childhood memories, :( Some of us bought our first NES games in those stores in the '80s, and memorable action figures from cartoons and movies. But deep down, we'll all forever be Toys R'Us kids!

My first console was definitely the NES, but I didn't get it from TRU, but Super Mario Bros. 3 was the first video game I ever got from there. The only consoles I ever got from TRU are the original GBA (okay, not really a console), PS2, and the Wii. I could have gotten a GameCube from them, but when I was ready to get it, all they had were the purple ones. I didn't want one until Star Fox Adventures came out, and I reserved it at the store there. So I just got the game there and got a black GameCube from another store nearby. I'd get video games from there sometimes, but I mostly got them from Best Buy or GameStop.

The only toys I remember getting from TRU are a Black Lion from Voltron and two Silverhawks action figures on black Friday in 1987. I might have gotten a board game from there too. When I got older, I'd mostly go to TRU to look at mostly Power Rangers toys.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

That sucks for the business. They rely on that stuff. The thing is, people have always hated commercials, but there was no way around them. Now, with the growth of streaming, they're going to have to come up with other ways to adjust.

Parents are probably thrilled, though. I've heard many a tale of peoples parents getting annoyed and snipping about the "glorified toy commercials" we watched. Which... I mean, some old cartoons really were not much more than that.



That's what we usually say, but actually it isn't that easy.

People hate when commercial breaks interupt in the middle of TV programmes but what they hate even more is advertising for things they aren't interested in.

As a child, you probably didn't dislike commercial breaks that much. It's content was relevant to you (action figures, home video with your favourite films and series, videogames). However, if you as a child watched advertising for adult products, you would die from boredom. :)

I understand parents hated children's advertising. But actually there are reality TV series about department stores or shopping malls (interviewing the people shopping there) who in practice do nothing else than promote department stores or shopping malls .

[Vegita-San]

i wonder if anyone found any gems that where unsold left buried in old stock.

[Storm Eagle]

I understand parents hated children's advertising. But actually there are reality TV series about department stores or shopping malls (interviewing the people shopping there) who in practice do nothing else than promote department stores or shopping malls .

What shows would those be?

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

What shows would those be?

There's one in Sweden. I take it for granted other countries have similair programmes.

[Redeemer]

i wonder if anyone found any gems that where unsold left buried in old stock.

I picked up a awesome Gohan Statue :D

[Storm Eagle]

There's one in Sweden. I take it for granted other countries have similair programmes.

Well all right. I don't know of any shows like that here in the US.

[Klunk1234]

It sad for them, but they were facing many problems. The internet retailers like Amazon are probably the cause of the their closing.

[Candy Kappa]

It sad for them, but they were facing many problems. The internet retailers like Amazon are probably the cause of the their closing.

no, it's due to bad business practice from the company that bought TRU back in 2005.

[IndigoErth]

Amazon and internet shopping in general play some role to an extent of course, and it's not even just bad inside business choices, but a far larger part of it is these financial game playing bloodsuckers that buy up these companies and bleed them dry for their own gain. They don't care a lick if it kills a company.

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/toys-r-us-bankruptcy-what-happens-when-wall-street-put-ncna876536

The superstore’s fall from grace is the result of a decade of disastrous management by the Wall Street firms that purchased the company and saddled it with billions of dollars of debt.

Meanwhile, the private equity barons who bought the company in 2005 have reaped hundreds of millions in extracted profits, and top executives are leaving with $16 million in golden parachutes.

Smith’s story is a potent reminder of the human cost that Wall Street vulture capitalists inflict on working class people in their seemingly never-ending pursuit of profit.

And this isn’t just a problem for Toy R Us. Across the country private equity and hedge fund managers are taking advantage of retail workers to bolster their profits without regard for the middle class communities that they are destroying. In the process, these bankers are perpetuating a vicious cycle in which the rich get richer at the expense of working people.

According to Fortune, the retailer generated $11.5 billion in sales in 2016, yet the once-profitable Toys R Us has been losing money, burdened by crippling long-term debt payments of more than $400 million to service its crushing $5.2 billion debt pile. This debt is a legacy of a 2005 leveraged buyout by Bain Capital, KKR and Vornado Realty Trust, some of the most high-profile— and, for labor activists, predatory — private equity firms in the U.S.

Fund managers don’t seem to care much about the families they are endangering — perhaps not surprising given their profits over the last decade.

Thus, it seems clear that this problem will never be solved without outside pressure. “This is what happens when you have a system that allows private equity firms to destroy profitable businesses and throw workers out on the streets with no severance,” Sanders told the Toys R Us workers.

Sanders is right that this is a systemic problem. Now more than ever, Wall Street fund managers are using dangerous highly leveraged buyouts to loot retail businesses. Like vultures, they scavenge on struggling companies, and then dump the remains into bankruptcy court before moving on to their next victim.

What killed TRU is essentially the same thing that is happening to my former employer, Sears - who will more than likely die too and already is little by little - and I was rather unsurprised that TRU is a similar story. :( I doubt these two companies are alone and it's disgusting that this is even allowed to happen.

The story with Sears as an example... the CEO is a hedge fund guy. Didn't know squat about retail before buying Sears. He/they invest next to nothing in the company and the loans Sears has gotten to try to stay afloat have come straight from him, building up debt and then when that needs to try to be paid back, to the company's own owner no less, that of course comes with interest to be paid to him as well. More and more stores are being closed, most of those remaining seem to be properties that the company actually owns (rather than rents)... and when those get sold eventually, all those profits will also go right to him, too.

[Vegita-San]

hedge fund people are the worst.

convinced les moonves to sell cbs radio to entercom and now it's just another by the numbers corporate operation that I doubt will last more than ten years. all those mega radio corps go bankrupt.