Millions of consumers who grew up with fond memories of trips to Toys “R” Us were saddened when the beloved children’s chain went bankrupt in 2017 and closed its stores in June 2018. Well, we’re extremely happy to be the bearers of good news: Ring the alarm, because Toys “R” Us has announced its relaunch and this is not a drill. In fact, the retailer plans to re-open its doors by the 2019 holiday season under the name Tru Kids.
Although we’ll have to wait until the holidays to see what the new stores look like, it seems like a safe bet that they’ll resemble the famous chain. “Tru Kids is the new parent company of Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us and also owns the rights to Geoffrey and dozens of Toys ‘R’ Us original toy brands,” Forbes reported last week. (Geoffrey, of course, is the adorable giraffe who served as a logo for Toys “R” Us.)
There will be some differences: For example, executives reportedly envision a model of 10,000-square-foot stores. As a point of comparison, the Toys “R” Us stores from our childhoods averaged around 40,000-square-feet. Another idea that’s been floated is placing Tru Kids shops within existing stores.
Richard Barry, a former Toys “R” Us executive who will serve as CEO of Tru Kids Brands, told The Associated Press that e-commerce is a crucial component of the Tru Kids business model. Barry also said that he and his team are in talks with toy makers and the process is going well.
Barry’s approach is designed to adapt to the ever-changing world of retail and the focus on e-commerce will likely serve the company well. Although exploring toy stores is a treat for kids, busy parents understandably love the convenience of being able to make purchases from home. Either way, we’re thrilled that this iconic brand (and its devoted mascot Geoffrey) will live on, albeit in a different form.
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