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Community => Watto's Junk Yard => Topic started by: SilverZ on August 12, 2004, 01:28 AM

Title: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: SilverZ on August 12, 2004, 01:28 AM
Sorry this got a little wordy.  :-\

I'm surprised the article about TRU's latest struggles hasn't filtered over here. So how does everyone feel if they lose their local TRU, or the current way they handle their SW product changes?

They're probably closing stores, and considering the mention of inventory liquidation, 2005 ordering is probably going to be much narrower selection-wise in their stores. We've lost FAO, and KB is a neutered den of irrelevancy. What if TRU chokes up and becomes irrelevant for us?

After some thought, I've concluded that they can just go away and I could care less, except for one major problem. Here's how I figure it:

TRU is a key vendor for a company like Hasbro. Can lines with shaky performance (the Star Wars line potentially included) withstand the loss of a huge portion of their sales, in what may be a quick climate change? I don’t see this being a problem with smaller companies like McFarlane, who have smaller production runs, and can more easily adjust their lines in both manufacturing numbers and wholesale allocations. But with a big lumbering giant like Hasbro, conditioned to dealing with other creaking B&M key accounts, making a successful transition for marginal lines like Star Wars to adjust for the loss of one of its main sales conduits looks like a major problem. I think this is the main area we can be stung in. We could lose the line if Hasbro isn’t prepared to transition sales away to other retailers during TRU’s potential coma or death. We could lose a convenient outlet for basic figures, and Hasbro could lose a bundle of cash without the outlet in place. I bet we see some toy lines die along with them, if it happens.

If TRU were gone, we could see e-tailers take a stronger role in mass-market non-kid/non-fad/non-movie-year toys. We could even see a post-TRU Amazon.com toy resurgence. We’ll undoubted see the big box stores expand their toy aisles. We’d hopefully see increased competition and variety of merchandise as they compete to lure the old TRU folks into their stores.

I could be wrong, of course.

TRU has been the leader on exclusive Star Ware items, at least in number. That loss could be a problem - on the surface; however, I think it may actually help this area of the line in the end, if TRU were out of the picture. While TRU has had a bulk of exclusives, Target is the place opting for higher-quality exclusive items. The B-wing, the new Slave 1 repaint, the A-wing repaint, all are great items. In contrast, the only ones TRU has offered that meet that level of quality is the retooled Landspeeder, and perhaps the new Y-wing. In cases where Target has erred and offered poor quality exclusives, like the accessory packs, they have quickly cancelled their deals for those segments. In contrast, TRU continues on, clogging their shelves with pointless and unwanted 4-packs, and accepted cheap Hasbro throw-aways like the new Jedi Council scenes, which look to be a complete failure in popularity. They've lacked any decisiveness or eye for quality products to offer their customers, where another competitor has excelled.

If TRU is gone, we could see Target and Walmart become the place for exclusives, TRU's absence forcing Walmart to step up to the plate and compete with Target with more exclusives and of higher quality.

I could be wrong, of course.

TRU is also, quite obviously, the most kid-targeted store. Its image is based on kids and toys in the most traditional of ways. It’s nearly oblivious to the man-child syndrome we have, and the fact there’s a new generation of young adults flush with cash in search of toys to relive childhood moments, and all the new ways that affects buying habits as we mature and have kids of our own. That, in turn, is an outdated attitude that their buyers come to toy manufacturers with. They approach outdated manufacturers like Hasbro, and base their product orders off outdated, outmoded assumptions. They see their core market as parents and little tykes on items that clearly, in the real world, appeal to an entirely different audience. Hasbro, being enslaved to their key accounts, falls into line, and tows the “Star Wars is for kids” mentality. What happens once one of the biggest voices in their misguided line direction up and dies of rickety old age?

If TRU goes away, Hasbro may be forced to look to collectors, finally and seriously, as the way to extend and maintain the line’s health. Imagine what a new competition for our dollars could do to the line in an increased war between Target, Walmart, and a growing online source could do to change the line for the better.

I could be wrong, of course.

I can also be extremely long winded!

My take is that this potential development may not be a bad thing in the end. It’s probably going to suck for a while. It could go bad really quick and make Star Wars collecting extremely annoying in the short term. But, in the end, I just don’t see them leaving any gaping wholes or new negatives with the hobby. We’d still get exclusives, and they may even be more focused, better quality items. We may see Hasbro forced to refocus their line on buyers other than their perceived core audience. We could see better distribution of figures through fewer stores carrying more merchandise. That’s how I feel, at least today. :)

-J
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: MetalJedi on August 12, 2004, 01:55 AM
I think they should get rid of the TRU stores that rely on the Xmas season to stay afloat. Then go from there. They could also just do the online thing. That may work as well.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Chris on August 12, 2004, 01:57 AM
TRU sucks. They should close. Wipe them out, all of them.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: jokabofe on August 12, 2004, 08:58 AM
i think i buy more toys at target and wal*mart nowadays then i do at toys r us anyway...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Mister Skeezler on August 12, 2004, 10:28 AM
TRU is actually important for NYC, because we don't have any Walmarts around here. Target is a possibility, but our Targets aren't exactly the best in the world. In fact, TRU is where I usually find things. There, and online.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Morgbug on August 12, 2004, 10:51 AM
From a Canadian perspective, while TRU can be intensely frustrating, it would be a pretty big loss for collectors up north.  We have four main retailers.  TRU, Walmart, Zellers (=Kmart or poor version of Target) and Superstore.  

Walmart is skittish as all get out, particularly with respect to Star Wars.  You guys are seeing end caps of OTC, I've seen one case of OTC at 7 Walmarts.  Star Wars product does not rate with them, largely because of poor management and shipping practices by Hasbro Canada.  During POTJ, they kept shipping case after case after case of Leia, Mechanic Chewie and Aurra Sing to Walmart, all the while missing new POTJ waves.  That seems to have really soured Walmart on Star Wars.  Ep I, II sold well, but both have also had really large clearance sales associated with them.  No exclusives carried up here and no generic vehicles have been at Wally since the Ep II Slave I.  

Zellers really is reminiscent of Kmart.  Not quite as dead or as messy, but probably not far off.  We get an occasional surprise out of them, Target accessory packs being a good example, but those are few and far between.  Right now, like Walmart, they'll bring in a case and sell it off, except for a straggler or two and then we won't see anything new for months.  Worse, unlike Walmart, they refuse to do any sort of real clearance stuff.  Only last year I could still find gunner stations and action fleet (as in rebel blockade runner old) marked down by a whopping 10%.  They still have lots of full priced Slave I, that's around $40 up here.  Crazy.  

Superstore is a large grocery chain for the most part, but they are a little more diverse in their offerings - toys, hardware, clothing - a predecesssor to Walmart of sorts or perhaps a medium sized Costco for an analogy.  They'll carry toys in movie years and occasionally other times.  But to show their lack of committment, they are only now clearing out Saga stuff and still at $4.99 each.  They are only figure retailers, seldom if ever vehicles.  

That leaves TRU.  This is our only retailer that carries larger Lego units, such as the new Falcon.  No one else wants to touch large boxes that sit that long.  Also the only retailer carrying ships, for the most part outside of a movie year.  OTC Falcon and Vaders Tie, Red Leader X-wing, Dagobah X-wing, Tie Interceptor (yes, predominantly store exclusives) were only found here.  Mind you we missed a number of the retailer exclusives as well, as they never came north of the border.  No one else will touch them.  This is also the only retailer carrying Unleashed and VOTC figures.  
With respect to regular figures, perhaps not that big a loss as the other will carry them, and may see a market if TRU went away.  I doubt it though, leading to much more reliance on US friends and online retailers for my part.  

Some gems in that post though.  

Quote
They see their core market as parents and little tykes on items that clearly, in the real world, appeal to an entirely different audience. Hasbro, being enslaved to their key accounts, falls into line, and tows the “Star Wars is for kids” mentality.
Ain't it the truth?  I've even been told by staff at TRU that they won't bring out toys when adults without children ask for them.  I can certainly understand the frustration of dealing with dickheaded Hot Wheels and McFarlane Sportspick collectors (and our local scalper/flea market guy used to have quite a market in Star Wars) but that is not (hopefully) the major part of the market.  The difference in treatment I get from staff when I have my daughter with me, versus when I don't have her there is dramatic.  And foolish.  I spend probably 50x more when I am alone than when I have my child there.  It's just a silly attitude.  There are no kids buying McFarlane toys and next to no kids buying Star Wars toys either.  The kids are buying Yu-Gi-Oh, GoBots, etc.  Or at least I hope they are, considering the amount of retail space they eat up.  

My impression of TRU is that they simply cannot or will not follow the high throughput model that Target and Walmart use.  People seem to buy a lot more toys now than when I was a kid.  They visit stores more often and seeing the same old crap (hello, Simpsons series 1 :o) on the shelves, year after year after year, drives consumers out the door.  I can still find NHL3 figures, MLB1 figures, Simpsons series 1 figures and umpteen other lines that are tattered in the package, so much so that I would not purchas it as a gift for a child.  Yes, the packaging will be trashed immediately upon receipt, but I wouldn't go with a gift to a birthday party that looks like it's been sitting in the bottom of a closet for years either.  

Up here, it would be a big loss.  Not something I couldn't handle, but it would be unfortunate.  
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on August 12, 2004, 12:26 PM
TRU sucks. They should close. Wipe them out, all of them.

Yeah, I agree. They remodeled the TRUs here but did no actual remodeling. All they did was get rid of the large toy sections and add clothes. Then one of them closed down.

So yeah, TRU sucks. Good ridance.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Famine on August 12, 2004, 12:40 PM
Wipe them out. 58% of them. Make them more exclusive, and make it an event. You'd get more customers, and it would wind up pretty good for them.


Besides, the only TRU I go to is in NC, and all they have is over priced stuff.

Kevin
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: DoctorPadawan on August 13, 2004, 05:34 PM
TRU never appealed to me in the same way that two other toy chains did: Children's Palace and Lionel Toy World (the latter of which I only ever went to in North Carolina back in the mid to late 1980's).  Now, although I was a kid back then, the general atmosphere of CP or LTW was just a lot nicer than TRU.  TRU felt cramped and (dare I say it) didn't have all that great a selection.  CP was amazing and if I went in there looking for something, I found it, no problem.  GI Joe figures I could never find at a department store or TRU were at CP or LTW in abundance.  When the CP near the Ohio/Kentucky border closed down, it kind of broke my heart.

TRU closing down would not bother me a bit.  Every TRU I have been in over the last ten years has been populated by rude and dismissive employees who look at me with nothing but spite.  I am always polite and I always ask nicely, but they could care less.  Since I am no longer six years old and running around like a chicken with my head cut off (even though I never did that as a kid, personally), I don't matter to them.  Pay no attention to the sizeable amount of money he's going to potentially drop in our store; we'd rather have kids come in here and mess up our aisles, buying nothing but causing us to have to spend more on our upkeep.

(Not to mention the fact that every TRU I have been in over the last ten years has really old stuff on the shelves and doesn't get new stuff until it's been out everywhere else for six months.  I often joke with a friend of mine that I am expecting to find a vinyl cape Jawa hanging on the pegs on any given day since retail is so far behind). :)

Not that WM is any better (I absolutely loathe them and do as little business with them as I can; unfortunately, when they're the only game in town, you have to occassionally deal with the devil), but TRU is using an outdated business strategy (as Tydirium so eloquently stated) and it has finally caught up with them.  I won't be shedding any tears when they go away.  My only fear is that Hasbro will have to find someone else to take all their crappy exclusive items that nobody cares about. 

Speaking of, I don't think we'll see WM with any exclusive SW stuff any time soon.  Everything that they got from Hasbro as a retailer exclusive flopped bigger than a shark in the Sahara, and if you notice, they're the only retailer that hasn't gotten an actual exclusive (DVD sets don't count for this) since the summer of 2002.  Target's had a couple of ships, KB's had the Guard and the TIE, TRU's had crap after crap, and even K-Mart is getting exclusive stuff now.  The last thing that WM had as an exclusive was the Cantina Bar figures, and we all know how that worked out.

Fare thee well, TRU, fare thee well...may you choke on your inability to move out of the 1980's.

Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Ben on August 13, 2004, 06:32 PM
If TRU here closed, it really wouldn't bother me as long as the one in Cedar Rapids stayed open. The one in Waterloo rarely gets anything that I don't find at Wal-Mart first. I've heard reports about TRUs across the nation getting new Marvel Legends  6 and the newest waves from LOTR, not to mention OTC/VOTC. My local TRU has none of these. The only new stuff they have are those damn Buddies things Hasbro saw fit to put out, plus the OTC vehicles. They just got the Falcon, and it's priced $5 over the competition. Good luck with that.

The TRU in Cedar Rapids tends to get really good stuff in, like the LOTR Minimates I'm currently going apes--- over.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Scott on January 8, 2006, 12:45 AM
Just read a bunch more TRU's are closing

Phoenix AZ
Fairfield CA
Emeryville CA
Valejo CA
Mira Mesa CA
Woodbury MN
Duluth MN
Owensboro KY
Dale Mabry FA
Chicago, IL
Arlington Heights, IL
Lansing, IL
Bourbonnais, IL
Michigan City, IN
West Ashley (Charleston), SC
Columbia, SC
Bridgeton (St. Louis), MO
Dorchester, MA
Cambridge, MA
Medford, MA
Wichita, KS

Plus more...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: JesseVader08 on January 8, 2006, 12:54 AM
Losing TRU up here in Canuckia would be a bigger problem than even a year ago.  With Wal-Mart dabbling in the crap/generic toys more and more and refusing to carry SW reliably in Canada, all we're left with is Zellers and TRU.  Zellers (ie. K-Mart) isn't normally a strong carrier of Star Wars, but did surprisingly well during ROTS.  But with no movie to drive the line, TRU is definitely the primary source for Star Wars now.  Without TRU, we'd be in BIG trouble.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: MetalJedi on January 8, 2006, 12:56 AM
Just read a bunch more TRU's are closing

Phoenix AZ
Fairfield CA
Emeryville CA
Valejo CA
Mira Mesa CA
Woodbury MN
Duluth MN
Owensboro KY
Dale Mabry FA
Chicago, IL
Arlington Heights, IL
Lansing, IL
Bourbonnais, IL
Michigan City, IN
West Ashley (Charleston), SC
Columbia, SC
Bridgeton (St. Louis), MO
Dorchester, MA
Cambridge, MA
Medford, MA
Wichita, KS

Plus more...

Where did you read this?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Ben on January 8, 2006, 01:08 AM
I haven't heard about any in Iowa closing yet, but I'm sure it's coming.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: CorranHorn on January 8, 2006, 01:22 AM
Just read a bunch more TRU's are closing
Chicago, IL

Plus more...

Scott, where'd you hear this? Obviously there are several TRU's in Chicago, but I'm fearful this could be referencing my childhood TRU. My dad used to take me there all the time as a kid, I remember picking up an ROTJ Skiff Lando there, the ARAH Tomax/Xamot set, and finding vintage mini-rigs on clearance in 89. Then going to the high school just down the street, stopping in on my lunch period to play the demo video game stations, sigh.. such a long time ago.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: MetalJedi on January 8, 2006, 01:28 AM
Here's a link to the ones closing in Chicago.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0601070108jan07,1,6691250.story?coll=chi-business-hed
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: CorranHorn on January 8, 2006, 01:34 AM
Here's a link to the ones closing in Chicago.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0601070108jan07,1,6691250.story?coll=chi-business-hed

D'oh you beat me to it, I just found this link and was about to post it.  :P At least the TRU I was talking about in my earlier post isn't closing, though I hit the one in Arlington Heights once in a great while.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: MetalJedi on January 8, 2006, 01:38 AM
Im really surprised that there are none listed for Southern California besides the Mira Mesa location.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Morgbug on January 8, 2006, 01:38 AM
Losing TRU up here in Canuckia would be a bigger problem than even a year ago.  With Wal-Mart dabbling in the crap/generic toys more and more and refusing to carry SW reliably in Canada, all we're left with is Zellers and TRU.  Zellers (ie. K-Mart) isn't normally a strong carrier of Star Wars, but did surprisingly well during ROTS.  But with no movie to drive the line, TRU is definitely the primary source for Star Wars now.  Without TRU, we'd be in BIG trouble.

A very salient point Jesse.  Walmart up here for ROTS was deplorable.  I managed to score pretty well there but only by blind, stupid luck (read that as being stupid enough to be in stores 3-5 times a week checking).  Realistically though I'm in a town with six Walmarts.  They brought in shipments of ROTS toys precisely three times:
1. four weeks after the general release of toys and sales at TRU and other retailers were subsequently spectacular with an overall higher price ($8.97-9.99 versus Wally's $7.93)

2.  About a month after the green commander, shock trooper etc showed up stateside, they arrived here.  Again, a sizable shipment that was gone within days

3. a small stocking of the late 40's to 56 of ROTS figs, about three cases per store

TRU kicked ass up here for ROTS this year and if we lose those stores, screw collecting toys anymore because it will all be online etailers or ebay from that point on. :-\
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Darth Slothus on January 8, 2006, 03:46 AM
I'm glad they're closing.Their employees, managers hopelessly suck. They have figs in the back(caught them lying MANY times-just had to ask the RIGHT person to get me what I wanted) but refuse to get them when asked- what, they don't want to make money off me today? What really sucks is when the manager does this and you catch the bastard in a lie.

I hope the whole chain closes so I don't have to shop there for exclusives this year-and..I really want a particular manager to lose his job-he did nothing to help his store afterall.

I recognize the 2 northern cally stores..shopped in those- Was born in fairfield and vallejo is the city next door in the same county. They can BURN now--good riddance

Damn, I wish my lancaster store was killing too-but only if the whole chain goes!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: iFett on January 8, 2006, 07:03 AM
Why would they want to close the Woodbury MN store???  Haven't been there in awhile, but they always "seemed" busy..
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Mikey D on January 8, 2006, 10:12 AM
Just read a bunch more TRU's are closing

Dorchester, MA
Cambridge, MA
Medford, MA


Really suprised on the Dorchester one.  That's the closest one to Boston and figured enough volume went through that store to keep it afloat.  Although a Target opening up right across the parking lot probably cut into that a little.

Medford was my local TRU for awhile.  For the most part, they sucked, although I did get lucky there every once in awhile.  Cambridge was pretty much the same way.

Be interested to see what stores are going to take their place.  Except for Dorchester, none of these locations are equipped to handle a Target or Walmart without some major infrastructure work.   Hell, a Ames store that went out of business two plus years ago is still sitting vacant in the same strip mall as the Medford location.  I'd expect Medford to be the same way.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Victor_Von_Doom on January 8, 2006, 10:34 AM
I used to love TRU. But last week an employee blatantly lied to me, and now I could care less if the store in my area goes belly up.

Here's what happened: I was looking through the figure aisle with my brothers and mom a few days ago. My brothers were looking for things to get me for my birthday. We spotted 2 racks of McFarlane Military figures, and the tags on the pegs said that they used to be $10.99 but were on clearance for $1.98. My brothers grabbed one of each figure and headed to the checkout. However once we got there they said that it was a mistake (even though it was on two different pegs  ::) ) and that they shouldn't be that low in price. I was still in the figure aisle while my family was buying these, and all of a sudden I see a TRU manager hauling ass toward the figures. The employee didn't know I was with the people at the checkout, so I watched the employee because I had a feeling they were going to do something shady. Sure enough, the employee gets to the rack, looks around with a "oh crap we screwed up" look on her face, then grabs all the remaining figures off the pegs and just sets them in a pile to the side. So I go to the checkout to see whats going on, and the employee that moved the figures goes back and says that when she went back there, there were no figures on the pegs so she couldn't verify it. So they tried getting out of their mistake by cheating a customer. Then they started saying that it could just be a customer that moved the figures onto the pegs, even though it said McFarlane Soldiers in big words. I asked them if these figures weren't the ones that were on sale, which were then? They tried making something up about mini McFarlane military figures (which they don't make). We got fed up with the lies and left.

So basically what the manager was telling me, was that even if the figures were on the pegs, they can't verify if thats the real price.

 ::)  >:(
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Lady Jaye on January 8, 2006, 04:02 PM
Scott, where'd you hear this? Obviously there are several TRU's in Chicago, but I'm fearful this could be referencing my childhood TRU. My dad used to take me there all the time as a kid, I remember picking up an ROTJ Skiff Lando there, the ARAH Tomax/Xamot set, and finding vintage mini-rigs on clearance in 89. Then going to the high school just down the street, stopping in on my lunch period to play the demo video game stations, sigh.. such a long time ago.

Sigh, the TRU that I grew up going to closed a couple of years. :'( Its the TRU I used to get most of my GI JOE's at, where I got a couple of my Transformers, what MASK I did pick up, most of my TMNT, Star Trek, and finally getting me back into Star Wars in 95. There are still two others, but it's not the same!

Oh and who here used to go to the "guest appearances" of the stars. I remember going to see He Man, Skeletor, Strawberry Shotcake and a couple of others!! Good times!!!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on January 8, 2006, 05:56 PM
Why would they want to close the Woodbury MN store???  Haven't been there in awhile, but they always "seemed" busy..

Probably because they have the WORST customer service of any store I've EVER been to...  :P

I have so many "exclusive stuff leaked out the back door" stories about that place.  I witnessed a guy paying a stockboy $20 to get stuff early (Silver R2, Silver Clone) and my complaints and letters to the manager/regional manager basically went unanswered.

I won't miss that crappy place one bit.  Good riddance!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Scott on January 8, 2006, 06:05 PM
(http://www.jedidefender.com/jsmentek/buyingstuff.JPG)

We'll always have April 3, 2005 :-*
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: JesseVader08 on January 8, 2006, 06:18 PM
That picture always disturbs me.   (where's the crying in fear of the flashing guy smilie?)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on January 8, 2006, 06:43 PM
I thought ROTS toys were released on April 2nd... :-*

Anyway, looks like none of the TRUs in Texas are closing. They should go ahead and do away with them though, they never have anything good.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Morgbug on January 8, 2006, 07:36 PM

I have so many "exclusive stuff leaked out the back door" stories about that place.  I witnessed a guy paying a stockboy $20 to get stuff early (Silver R2, Silver Clone) and my complaints and letters to the manager/regional manager basically went unanswered.


Yeah, I've those same stories as well, mostly dealing with McFarlane stuff (I missed out a 49ers Rice on that premise) and being lied to as well, but we remain short of retailers.  If Walmart steps up and gives a crap then fine, I can live without it.  But Walmart has sucked for the better part of four years. 

And I refuse to be manipulated by them.  If they have no toys in stock, I'm not buying anything else either.  I'll pay more for stuff at a retailer that carries toys I want on a regular basis.  If I find a Star Wars or other toy that I can buy, sure, bring home some TP, cereal and whatever else tickles my fancy.  Nothing else?  See ya, I'm off to the big Z.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dimetrodon on January 10, 2006, 04:03 AM
This link might prove interesting.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060109/toys_r_us_closures.html?.v=1
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: CaptainAlex on January 10, 2006, 11:12 AM
Is there a master list of the stores closeing in this go around?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on January 10, 2006, 05:37 PM
I found this list on another forum:

Locations known to be closing:
Phoenix, AZ
Camelback, AZ
Brea, CA
Colma, CA
Daily City, CA
Fairfield, CA
Merced, CA
Mira Mesa, CA
Redding, CA
San Francisco, CA
Valejo, CA
Grand Juction, CO
Littleton, CO
Pueblo, CO
Sarasota, FL
Tampa, FL (Dale Mabry)
Vero Beach, FL
Macon, GA
Cedar Rapids, IA (2425 Wiley Blvd. SW)
Dubuque, IA
Sioux City IA
Indianapolis, IN
Michigan City, IN
Arlington Heights, IL
Bourbonnais, IL
Chicago, IL (Lafayette St.)
Dorchester, IL
Lansing, IL
West Kellogg, KA
Owensboro, KY
Cambridge, MA
Dorchester, MA
Medford, MA
Laurel, MD
Wheaton, MD
Battle Creek, MI
Duluth, MN
Woodbury, MN
Bridgeton, MO (St. Louis; 899 Northwest Plaza)
Hillcrest, MO
Raleigh, NC (Crabtree Valley)
Parsippany, NJ
Las Cruces, NM
Long Island, NY:
- Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown
- Jericho Turnpike in Commack
- Sunrise Highway in Freeport
Cincinnati, OH (Near Tri-County Mall)
Columbus, OH (Broadstreet)
Springfield, OH
Albany,OR (1950 14th Ave. S.E.)
Charleston SC (Two Notch Road Store)
Columbia, SC
West Ashley, SC
Memphis, TN (Johnson City)
Nashville, TN (Antioch;Hickory Hollow Mall)
Brownsville, TX
Houston, TX (Greenspoint)
Sherman, TX
Texarkana, TX
Victoria, TX
Harrisonburg, VA
Hampton, VA
Tyson's Corner, VA
Bellingham, WA
Fond du Lac, WI
Madison, WI (East Side)

Locations that will not reopen after hurricane closure last fall:
New Orleans, LA (East)
Biloxi, MI

Locations being converted to Babies 'R Us:
Emeryville, CA
Wichita, KS (4646 W. Kellogg)
Holyoke, MA (Ingleside Mall)
Pittsburgh, PA (near South Hill Village)
Anderson, SC
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Ithorian Clergy on January 10, 2006, 05:42 PM
The official word from Toys 'R' Us right now is that of their 675 stores, they will be closing 75 of them, and converting another 12 to Babies 'R' Us.  They have not officially listed the stores that they are closing at this time.  They state that 3,000 employees will lose their jobs as a result of this move.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on January 10, 2006, 08:58 PM
So far no Pittsburgh ones ont hat list...  Not surprising considering WM, Target and the like aren't EVERYWHERE you go out here.  Sometimes the Toy Store is all you have near you.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: speedermike on January 10, 2006, 09:01 PM
It's funny, usually TRU is the last to get new stuff, but they are the only place that I've seen the new SAGA figures.  I'd like to be a bigger fan of the store becuase I grew up going to TRU and bought some of my earliest Star Wars (Vinatge) figure there.  But the chain doesn't seem to be very with it.  To me, they lost the plot back when they got rid of the nice, organized isles, and replaced them with mazes.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: TheBlackDog65 on January 10, 2006, 10:08 PM
This is only my opinion. TRU closings are not good for anyone who collects. It eliminates stores that provides options and product for us to buy. Regardless of past experiences, TRU stores closing are not good. The day is rapidly coming where it will be only Walmart and Target that will carry the line, with each region have their own local stores that seem to carry the line; more so in a movie year, less in non-movie years. When that day comes, competition will become even much more fierce. What is even scarier is that when we come down to two national retailers (three I guess if you include Kmart which I don't), when the day comes that the line is not "profitable" for one or the other retailer, the store's toy buyers will stop carrying the line and that will effectively kill the line. So though the line will continue to do well over the next two years, I guess what I am saying is that in my opinion, the consolidation of stores does not bode well for the long term health of the line.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Ben on January 10, 2006, 11:02 PM
Dammit, the Cedar Rapids TRU is closing. That sucks.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: SilverZ on January 11, 2006, 12:04 AM
The one closest to me is closing. I pulled up to it on Saturday and was surprised to see "store closing all items 10-30% off" all over the place. Oddly enough, they had Titanium in stock. The Falcon still isn't a deal unless they hit major firesale prices.  ::)

There are only two other TRU's in reasonable driving distance. It's a very strange call to close one here at all, though the store itself looks very old and was probably the best choice if they had to kill off one store in the area.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dimetrodon on January 11, 2006, 07:23 AM
Dammit, the Cedar Rapids TRU is closing. That sucks.

yeah, the NJ Parssipany one is my local...

at least the PA ones are safe for now. I go to college in PA..
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: CaptainAlex on January 11, 2006, 09:55 AM
It's really a shame that TRU for most of a collecting year is a non-player in my hunts. Rarely do they get figures before WalMArt or Target. The high prices I can live with because if I can find them at TRU right off the back without driving all over the place then it is well worth it.

And the lack of restocking isn't just a problem with the Star Wars section. It seems to transend the entire boys department. The Girls department, books/movies and toddler items are usually in good shape in TRU.

And the item that are in stock in the boys section tend to be movie related items that just peg warm because kids aren't interested. Fantastic Four and King Kong currently are clogging shelves at my two local TRU.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Ben on January 11, 2006, 10:29 PM
Dammit, the Cedar Rapids TRU is closing. That sucks.

yeah, the NJ Parssipany one is my local...

at least the PA ones are safe for now. I go to college in PA..

That one isn't local for me, but it was a blast to go there. It was one of the unremodeled stores. The exterior is still brown with the orange and stuff. It's like stepping back in time.

I guess I'll have to make one final trip there shortly, even if they're picked over for the good clearanced stuff.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on May 29, 2009, 01:08 AM
Looks like TRU is buying FAO Schwarz (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aijAoDFBRLQE&refer=home).  Always nice to see the dinosaurs banding together to try to put off extinction...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: efranks on May 29, 2009, 01:33 AM
I think that's good news.  I know a lot of people weren't upset when KB went out earlier this year but honestly, I think it's still important to have toy only stores around and if one can still stand with Walmart and Target, it benefits us in the end.

FAO is a worldwide recognizable name so that alone should help TRU breathe some life into it.  Hopefully with the buying power that TRU has for day-to-day toys it'll help the two FAO stores be a little more competitive while still offering the high end stuff that the store was known for.

   E...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Sprry75 on May 29, 2009, 06:22 AM
Looks like TRU is buying FAO Schwarz (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aijAoDFBRLQE&refer=home).  Always nice to see the dinosaurs banding together to try to put off extinction...

Hm.  Interesting.  I wonder if it was obscenely overpriced, like everything else at FAO.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on May 29, 2009, 03:27 PM
I was wondering the same thing...  I'm sort of hopeful they'll bring FAO back to Earth when it comes to pricing, or do away with them all together and absorb them into the fat belly of Geoffrey.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: tonphanan on May 29, 2009, 07:32 PM
Acquring FAO will only help sink the company into further debt. The high end/ high price exclusives that FAO is know for selling will be too much for R US company to handle. I don't know about other stores, but my store seems to rearrage the aisles every four months, but gets NO new products. I can't even remember the las thing I even bought from the store. Good bye R US and FAO, Christmas is the only thing to keep them afloat.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: efranks on May 29, 2009, 08:18 PM
Well, I've tried to look at the published financial stuff for TRU but that's out of my wheelhouse, I never was good at accounting.  But, they've been on a buying spree so it seems odd to me that they would do that if they were in such bad shape that they were on the brink of going out of business.

They're buying FAO and they just bought eToys.com which included babyuniverse.com and ePregnancy.com.  Historically one of their more profitable areas has been Babies-R-Us so bu.com and ep.com fit in with that.  They must be making money somewhere.

And I have to tell you, I've never understood collectors rooting for a company to go out of business just because they don't carry the stuff you want to buy or they charge a higher price than WM or Target or [insert favorite retailer here]. 

I rarely go into K-Mart because they almost never have what I'm looking for and when they do, it costs a $1 or $2 more than WM and Target.  But I don't look at the store as I pass it on the way to WM, cursing them under my breath and hoping for them to go bankrupt because they offend me.  I still can't get over the joyous postings on vaRiouS forums when KB went under.

   E...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on May 30, 2009, 12:23 PM
Where else but K-mart would I find a prego Padme on ROTS card? Of course, there is always Rite-Aid for a freeze frame 8-D8 for $12.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Brian on September 9, 2009, 03:07 PM
Sort of related...I just noticed this article (http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090909/us_time/08599192069800) on Yahoo, which mentions Wal-Mart's new "Project Impact" - where one of the goals is to apparently drive TRU out of business.  The article discusses a lot more about Wal-mart's new strategy (less clutter, friendlier employees, etc.) - but I just thought I'd pass this along.

Although TRU is far from perfect, and usually the most expensive retailer, I have to say that I'd be sad to see our local store go.  I grew up in a small town, but a trip to the "city" that brought with it a stop at TRU was almost like a vacation when I was a kid.  Although the world is certainly a much different place now, and kids don't seem to appreciate "little things" like that as much anymore, I sort of like having a TRU to take our daughter to.  Every time we go there it is like we're taking her to an amusement park, just getting to look at a whole store full of toys (and most times we don't even walk out with anything).  Anyways, just wanted to pass the story along.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jayson on September 9, 2009, 03:10 PM
I read that as well and despite WM new efforts, I'll believe "less clutter and friendlier employees" when I see it.  :D
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Brian on September 9, 2009, 03:14 PM
I read that as well and despite WM new efforts, I'll believe "less clutter and friendlier employees" when I see it.  :D

Yeah, the employees has always been a pretty big problem at our store, and I can't say I've seen that change at all (not to mention a lot of the customers there too).  I will say though that our store used to look like a tornado hit it, and since the redesign it is pretty easy to get around in - and, at least so far, things have been pretty organized as well.  We've got the smaller toy section now, but they still seem to carry all the lines I care about (and finally have the DCUC figures for the first time), and a nicely sized SW section.  My only concern is all the SW exclusives this fall/winter.  That said, I still try to avoid going there whenever possible :).
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: iFett on September 9, 2009, 04:01 PM
I read that as well and despite WM new efforts, I'll believe "less clutter and friendlier employees" when I see it.  :D

I've seen the less clutter - as in NOTHING in any of the main aisles and most of the aisle headers have shrunk back (VH WM).  I really don't like it because well, I guess I'm just used to seeing crap everywhere.  Now it's like a full on skating rink around the store.

Anywhoo - I never even had the pleasure of visiting a TRU as a kid.  First time was in 99ish or so when Ep1 came out just to check the new stuff out.  I had toys as a kid, but TRU was off limits for some reason so I never got to see those massive aisles of Transformers and Joes back in the day.

KB kinda sucked, but it was nice stopping in every once in awhile to check out.  I'd feel the same way if TRU closed I guess so no biggie. They've already closed maybe half the TRUs out here so there's really only 1 now that I can stop at and that's maybe once every few weeks or so.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Sugart on September 9, 2009, 05:05 PM
We already have a place with "less clutter and friendlier employees". Its called Target.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: JediMoses on September 10, 2009, 01:46 AM
WM's new strategy is interesting if thy are trying to drive a company out of business with a lot less product, a crappy distribution system and horrible employees.  I dont; shop often at TRU due to distance and the prevalence of Target, but WM is a last resort for me.  And I am giving up hope on finding new things.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: efranks on September 10, 2009, 11:27 AM
I read this article last night and the one thing that seems at odds with WM's plan to drive TRU out of business is that WM has been shrinking their toy aisles.  How can you run a toy store out of business if you don't carry what that store does?

I think I've posted in other threads here that my local WM never carried any of the Star Trek or Terminator movie figures and they stocked the GI Joe stuff a week after the movie opened and hadn't had any Joe stuff since the first of the year.

I stop in WM maybe once a week, sometimes less, and only shop there when I'm after something I can't get at Target.  Mostly that means SW exclusives or once in a while if they have a good sale on something, but since that's not very often, I don't bother with them.

I'd rather drive close to 2 hours round trip to visit TRU and a second Target than go to WM just down the street.  And these new Impact stores aren't all that great anyway, the ones I've been in have been just as much of a wreck as any WM store I've been in.

As for service, WM can have all the stuff they want, have the friendliest employees, best laid out store they can design, but if I can't check out in a timely manner I'm not going to shop there.  WM is the only store where I've ever left merchandise behind and walked out because the checkout lanes were ridiculous.  And it wasn't holiday shopping season, we're talking mid-week in July.  I've walked out of multiple WM stores because of this.  I've never done that at Target, TRU or any other store I shop at, but when a store that has 30+ checkout lanes and only 10 or fewer are open, and there are lines 15 people deep, **** it, I'm not waiting.

   E...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dressel Rebel on September 10, 2009, 11:59 AM

I'd rather drive close to 2 hours round trip to visit TRU and a second Target than go to WM just down the street. 


But you've got to realize that whatever you end up buying is probably costing you $10-15 more (depending on your gas mileage).

If your Walmarts are really that big of a wreck (and I've seen some that are really bad), then it might be worth it.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: jedi_master_sal on September 10, 2009, 12:30 PM
Fact is we NEED to have TRU in business. For one it helps keep Wal*Mart in check. They would have to stay competitive. Imagine WM being the only game in town for mass retail toys? With them shrinking the toy section in most stores, stuff will be even harder to come by. Their distribution is spotty at best.

Also, do we really need to see WM have even more leverage against yet another manufacturer? Do we really want WM telling Hasbro "you can make this but not that" even when it's already gone through the approval stage with Hasbro to LFL. (I paraphrased that from efranks response to my post in our state collecting group's e-mail list.)

I, just as other here have stated happen to like to walk into a store devoted to toys. I feel like a kid in a candy store or a kid in a TOY STORE....lol.

I just don't get the same service at WM as I do TRU. TRU wants to sell you toys. It's their business. WM and other big chains like Target use toys as a means to draw people in for other purchases whether those purchases are intended by the consumer or not. Think how often you may have gone to WM or Target looking for toys and came out with something else (and maybe even no toys at all). Then consider the times that happened, you got home, then questioned your purchase. This is how the big box multilevel stores work. While Target has a bit more of a niche for better clothes than Wal*Mart, they are very similar. (Oh and if you read the article, you'll see WM is going after Target too.) Imagine if that happens also...

We need TRU folks, slightly higher prices or not. Even if you don't shop there yourself, having another choice to go to is ALWAYS a better option than the potential monopoly WM is becoming.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: efranks on September 10, 2009, 03:15 PM

I'd rather drive close to 2 hours round trip to visit TRU and a second Target than go to WM just down the street. 


But you've got to realize that whatever you end up buying is probably costing you $10-15 more (depending on your gas mileage).

If your Walmarts are really that big of a wreck (and I've seen some that are really bad), then it might be worth it.

Obviously.  But I don't make that trip every day, or even every week.  Sometimes once a month I make a Saturday out of it and I do end up at WM, but the trip is specifically for TRU and Target.  And, yes, I'd rather spend an extra $5-$10 in gas to make that trip to buy from those two stores than to spend money at Walmart.

   E...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Brian on September 10, 2009, 03:28 PM
I will say, regarding prices, with the recent price hikes for toy lines across the board, TRU (at least our store) isn't all that out of line anymore.  It used to be much worse around 5 years ago, but now I think SW figures are $7.99 at TRU, $7.49 at Target, and $7.54 or so at Wal-Mart.  I think stuff like G.I. Joe and DCUC is actually the cheapest at TRU currently, at least here locally.

We've also been fortunate where the TRU employees here are always friendly and helpful, at least from our experience.  Like I said, we usually just go in there to look around for the most part, and they are still more than willing to help us find anything we're looking for.

I also worry about WM becoming the "only game in town".  Our local store has improved quite a bit, although I do worry about exclusives.  Plus, like it was mentioned, it wouldn't be great to see them have even more "pull" with toy makers.  Heck, I think they arguably have some of the best exclusives already this year for Star Wars (AT-ST, Dewback, Octuparra Droid, Evolutions, Comic Packs, etc.) compared to the others (Target/TRU).  A lot more "all new" stuff, compared with mostly repaints at other retailers.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: DoctorPadawan on September 11, 2009, 07:27 PM
How does Wal-Mart plan on getting "friendlier employees?"  Are they going to force them to undergo Emergency Squiggley Dance brainwashing sessions until their will to be lazy dicks is driven from them completely, along with the will to live?

As for the "less clutter", it was once explained to me that the reason WM's aisles were so much closer together than other retailers (Target, TRU, etc) was so when the behemoths were standing in the middle of an aisle blocking access, you'd have to go to the next aisle over and come up the other side of the previous aisle, which would expose you to more products and hopefully increase impulse purchases.  Same deal with the main aisle obstructing kiosk things; the more obstacles you have, the more likely you are to choose an alternate route to your desired location, and the more likely you are to see something else you don't need that you wind up buying.

Long live Toys R Us!

Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on September 15, 2009, 11:59 AM
Looks like TRU is heading to the malls (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/toys-r-us-heads-to-the-mall-filling-a-void-2009-09-14) for Christmas with 80 new "Holiday Express" stores.  Sounds like they want to capture the mall holiday sales since KB is gone and retail space is dirt cheap right now thanks to the economy.

It will be interesting to see if it helps them generate new sales or if it just sucks away some sales from their regular stores...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: BillCable on September 15, 2009, 12:23 PM
If their prices aren't ridiculous like KB's were they should do well.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Keonobi on September 15, 2009, 05:11 PM
TRU also bought up the naming rights for KB Toys.  One of their Holiday Express stores is going to be in a local mall in a space that was occupied by KB, I wonder if they'll use that brand in that same space, or if they bought it up for another purpose...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on September 15, 2009, 09:06 PM
I found one of these stores in a shopping center that used to have a KayBee.  It's a different location from where KayBee had been, but around the same ammount of floor space as KayBee.  But the stock situation is less than a KayBee store would've had.

The funny thing is that the location they're at used to be another toy store, albeit many moons ago.  Anyone remember TSW Toy & Sports Warehouse?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dressel Rebel on September 15, 2009, 09:13 PM
I found one of these stores in a shopping center that used to have a KayBee.  It's a different location from where KayBee had been, but around the same ammount of floor space as KayBee.  But the stock situation is less than a KayBee store would've had.

The funny thing is that the location they're at used to be another toy store, albeit many moons ago.  Anyone remember TSW Toy & Sports Warehouse?

Yup, Ramsey/Mahwah NJ.  I didn't know that became a TRU or if that's even the location you're talking about, I'm not in Rockland/North NJ much anymore.  But I have an early childhood memory of going there when I was 6 years old in 1983ish and getting the Max Rebo band set by Kenner.  I remember it clear as day.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: iFett on September 15, 2009, 11:41 PM
Death:

(http://paulmejias.adlio.net/images/toys-r-us-giraffe.jpg)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on September 16, 2009, 10:58 AM
OMG, they killed the little red X Geoffrey. Those bastards!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: iFett on September 16, 2009, 11:17 AM
TRU GIRAFFE DIES (http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1197564)

hopefully that's better than my red x   :)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on September 16, 2009, 09:09 PM
Looks like TRU is heading to the malls (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/toys-r-us-heads-to-the-mall-filling-a-void-2009-09-14) for Christmas with 80 new "Holiday Express" stores.  Sounds like they want to capture the mall holiday sales since KB is gone and retail space is dirt cheap right now thanks to the economy.

It will be interesting to see if it helps them generate new sales or if it just sucks away some sales from their regular stores...

I can't imagine they're going to do badly with this...

The best months KB every had were November to about January-ish every year...  They were the only months the store ever did well.  I think this is probably the smartest move though that TRU could make.  Pay some employees briefly, probably not well, and catch all that traffic in the malls that need toys for the holidays...  Target and Wal-Mart have to compete by pricing only then...  TRU has a lot of advantages with this I think.  Kudos to them for thinking outside the box.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on November 21, 2013, 12:55 PM
With the holidays approaching, I guess it's time for another round of 'Is this the end for Toys R Us? (http://mashable.com/2013/11/21/toys-r-us-decline/)' articles...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on November 21, 2013, 02:54 PM
And K-Mart, and Sears, and JC Penney, and Kohls (Saw that one the other day) and Best Buy, and I saw an HH Greg one...  Seems soon we'll only have Wal-Mart, Target, 5 Below, TJ Maxx, Big Lots, and Dollar General to shop at.

Oh and Ross and Marshalls of course, even though they're both basically TJ Maxx most of the time.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: name on November 22, 2013, 02:34 PM
Seems soon we'll only have... 5 Below,

That one must be regional.  Never heard of it.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on November 22, 2013, 02:49 PM
They are right now, but they're spreading like a plague...  They've gotten in Star Wars figures, really good ones, for the last few years here.  They had Gammie Guards dumped at them last year.  They had the Wal-Mart TPM wave dumped this past year, and TVC Wave 3 with the Death Star Trooper too...

They're everywhere here...  On the smaller side.  They sell discount stuff, candy, cheap graphic T's, cheap decorating stuff which rotates for each season...  They're a store I find I can spend a ton in all the time.  They get blind bagged Lego figs, and polybagged mini-ships and sets. 

The candy selection is insane...  If you liked old candy like Lemon Heads or swedish fish, this store's for you.  We don't go to the movies anymore without hitting 5 Below first.

And everything is $5 or less...  There's even goofy tin lunch boxes of Star Wars and Ninja Turtles and all kinds of other stuff. 

It started out focused on girls, but that store's branched into all kinds of territory.  I got facepalm and double facepalm fridge magnets for my gf...  It's just a great store of useless ****.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on November 22, 2013, 03:54 PM
No sign of any of the TRU Holiday Express stores around here just yet.  But then again, it's not even Thanksgiving yet.  But I wouldn't be surprised if we wind up seeing some of those seasonal stores pop up in the next week or two.

As for other Brick & Mortar toy stores?  I've seen more of these Smart Toys locations popping up in mall locations.  The prices are on the high side, but seeing how they don't have to worry about other toy specialty chains as competition, they can probably manage with some holiday traffic.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Scockery on November 22, 2013, 06:47 PM
Weird thing at 5 Below was the non-Lego accessory packs designed for Legos. Brick Warriors?

Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Matt on December 15, 2013, 02:30 PM
TRU had an online deal on 3DS games on Cyber Monday. Buy Angry Birds Star Wars or TMNT for $29 each, and get another 3DS game free. Most of the really good first-party, $40 first-party Nintendo titles were available in the free game selection. I put in two separate orders, one for TMNT/Mario Kart 7, and the other for ABSW/Super Mario 3D Land. I had no interest in TMNT or ABSW, but figured I could trade them in somewhere, or return them back to TRU for $15 each, as I read about others doing.

I went to the store to pick up my first order for TMNT/MK7. I immediately returned TMNT, expecting to get $15 back. But the CS rep started to give me a cash refund for the whole amount of $32 and change. I told her that I thought she was giving me too much money back, as I was only returning half the order. She said "yes, but this is what the computer is prompting me to give you, so just consider it an early Christmas present from Toys R Us."  :D

Same thing happened when I got my ABSW/Super Mario 3D Land order a few days later. But that time, I used part of the full refund to buy a 3DS case that I didn't need so that I wouldn't feel so guilty afterward.  :-\

All told, I wound up getting two $40 games and a decent case for about $22 out of pocket. So thanks, TRU! I will look back upon this fondly when you eventually go out of business.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on December 15, 2013, 09:34 PM
I wonder if Family Dollar or Big Lots will have such bargains?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 4, 2014, 09:21 PM
It looks like the 2013 Holiday season was not such a good one for TRU.  Ailing Toys ‘R’ Us to lay off nearly 200 employees (http://nypost.com/2014/03/02/ailing-toys-r-us-to-lay-off-nearly-200-employees/).
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on August 30, 2014, 01:58 PM
When to TRU and they had a huge display of Colecovision Flashbacks and Intelivision Flashbacks. So I took one to the cash register and they wouldn't sell it to me until Sept 22nd!!! I mean seriously? They put up an entire encap of systems and won't sell them for an entire month. How is that going to look? I asked to see the manager and he still wouldn't sell it to me and said he would have someone take down the entire encap of them. He said the store would get fined if they sold one which is complete BS. We will see if that really happens tomorrow.  Stupid TRU and their DNS dates. Don't they realize that I'm just going to buy it at Amazon anyway?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on September 18, 2017, 03:34 PM
Check out the news from Business Insider (http://www.businessinsider.com/toys-r-us-could-file-for-bankruptcy-this-week-reports-2017-9).


Toys R Us could file for bankruptcy this week

by Dennis Green
 The toy retailer Toys R Us may be on the brink of filing for bankruptcy.

It's one of several options the chain is considering to pay down $5 billion in debt it owes as a result of a leveraged buyout in 2005, according to The Wall Street Journal.

And a filing could come as soon as this week, according to a new report from CNBC's Lauren Hirsch.

The chain's trio of owners — the private-equity firms Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Bain Capital Partners and the real-estate investment trust Vornado Realty Trust — bought the company in a deal worth $6.6 billion, taking it private.

CNBC previously reported that the chain had hired the law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLP, and that it was exploring options to take care of its debt and working with its creditors to stave off filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Chapter 11 protection would allow the company to restructure $400 million in debt due in 2018 then renegotiate the rest, according to CNBC.

The debt crisis looms at a critical time for the toy seller. Toys R Us last year made 40% of its sales in the fourth quarter, thanks to holiday shopping. Vendors are feeling increasingly anxious about the chain's ability to pay down its debts, according to the reports, which could lead to a shortage of toys to stock its shelves and further exacerbate the issue.

Toys R Us has also struggled as it increasingly competes with online retailers in its two main businesses: baby goods and toys.

A Toys R Us representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Scockery on September 18, 2017, 06:37 PM
Some people are like good riddance, but really...this is it, the last major non-specialty toy retailer in North America.

But the flip side, some people will be forced to grow up and no longer be Toys R Us kids.   :P


Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on September 18, 2017, 06:51 PM
To me this reads like TRU is trying to restructure their debt in order to survive.  The key seems to be how long will it be until the hedge funds that own the company just don't see it as profitable anymore.

Clearly, the TRU the business model needs some work.  From our standpoint as Star Wars collectors, we're reasonably hip to which retailers consistently have the hot hand and manage their inventory well.  I keep coming back to Target and the way that chain manages its inventory.  Why are other chains, TRU included, not following suit?  It's time to invest in some big data and get that inventory moving.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on September 18, 2017, 07:15 PM
There are a lot of toy brands that don't sell out anymore. Why do they keep it around and not put them on clearance? I'm looking at you TFA and Rogue One. Why do they raise the price and then put it back to normal and call it on clearance?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Darby on September 18, 2017, 08:28 PM
This could last years and lead to TRU coming out just fine. Or, a long, slow death spiral like K-Mart. Too soon to tell, but retail in general is suffering and I think the more dedicated you are to a specific niche, the more vulnerable you are to cannibalization by Amazon.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: EdSolo on September 19, 2017, 06:45 AM
I don't shop at TRU all that frequently anymore, but I usually stop by around Christmas time to look for stuff for my kids.  Last year, it was a complete mess.  You couldn't find a single employee in the whole store to help look for anything.  They only had one register open.  I just ended up saying to hell with and went to Target.  On my way out, there were three or four employees hanging out near the doors to leave.  I think the company just has a general attitude of not caring.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on September 19, 2017, 10:14 AM
They did indeed file for Bankruptcy yesterday right here in my hometown of Richmond, VA.  :D

Long, slow death spiral sounds about right to me. I have been reading a lot of articles on this lately and there just does not seem to be any clear path to restoring financial stability.

It would be heard enough to sustain their business in the current retail climate to begin with, much less saddled with 7+ BILLION dollars of debt that they didn't even incur - thanks to vultures like Bain Capital. Good luck digging out of that hole.

I would be sad to see them go, so many great childhood memories, and a few adult ones too. But given the choice I would never shop there because its such a horrible experience. Everything is overpriced, their "sales" are terrible, they refuse to offer decent clearance prices, there's always a huge line with 1 person working checkout, etc etc. At least Walmart and Target have self check-out.

Hurry up and get those Ackbar and Rey exclusives out!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on September 19, 2017, 10:32 AM
I read an interesting article somewhere last night blaming one of their problems on having an awful website, which makes sense. Amazon is easy to navigate, purchase, etc. Can you say the same thing about TRU's site?

It also blamed the stores having massive retail spaces, which don't appear to be a problem here because our local stores at least always having people buying baby stuff from the Babies R Us section, but it's really just the toy section that needs work. CLEARANCE THINGS OUT! My TRU was so clogged with TFA merch that they literally stocked ZERO Rogue One product. I was shocked to see TLJ stuff, although there's very little of it. There is still the mountain of Finns and Zuvios though, all for $19.99. I get that selling it for $2 won't help, but I might buy one or two in hopes they increase in value like other Black Series toys. Every other toyline, same story. I haven't seen any of the new Marvel Legends exclusives because shelves are clogged with 3 year old figures. I see the same WWE and TMNT toys whenever I go there, have for years now. And let's not even get into the absurdity of the "TRU Tax" on LEGO sets.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dave on September 19, 2017, 11:23 AM
And let's not even get into the absurdity of the "TRU Tax" on LEGO sets.

This part just blows my mind.  You gotta be in a huge hurry or just ignorant to pay an extra 10% to buy Legos at TRU.  Even when they do a BOGO 40% off you're still generally better off just buying from Amazon or Target with a red card.

The only time I get Legos at TRU is when they've got an exclusive that is interesting, and even then I often buy "their exclusive" via Lego.com to get double VIP points.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Matt_Fury on September 19, 2017, 11:37 AM
I went to TRU on Force Friday II to pick up a couple of Rathtars for my kids.  I looked in their clearance section and they had two AT-ACTs marked down to $249.99.   ::)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on September 19, 2017, 05:53 PM
And let's not even get into the absurdity of the "TRU Tax" on LEGO sets.

This part just blows my mind.  You gotta be in a huge hurry or just ignorant to pay an extra 10% to buy Legos at TRU.  Even when they do a BOGO 40% off you're still generally better off just buying from Amazon or Target with a red card.

The only time I get Legos at TRU is when they've got an exclusive that is interesting, and even then I often buy "their exclusive" via Lego.com to get double VIP points.

I always thought it was a cheap way to swindle a few extra bucks from parents and grandparents who need a quick gift and have no clue what LEGO MSRP is. I can't stand their polybag promotions since they deliberately wait to put the polybags out AFTER the promotion ends, just so they can sell them for $5.99 a pop.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on September 19, 2017, 10:59 PM
I don't champion anyone closing like some places enjoy doing but I will say TRU isn't a place I hit often.  They're not conveniently located for me, and I haven't had a good find there since the resculpted speederbike and the exclusive rebel sled n tech were on sale there. :-\

Less places to buy the worse it is for all though. 

That said bankruptcy isn't the end of the line by any means.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on September 20, 2017, 09:47 AM
The TRU near me always has a decent crowd of people shopping the store. They usually have a couple of cash registers open but will always let people ring up at the video game cash register. Star Wars stuff usually doesn't go on clearance but at least there is space for TLJ things. It's a fairly new store with an attached Babys R Us. I think it just boils down to poor management at a lot of stores.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on January 24, 2018, 07:22 AM
A list of TRU stores that will be closing has been posted in a CNBC article (https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/toys-r-us-to-close-180-stores-across-the-us.html?__source=twitter%7Cmain).  A significant number of stores are going to be closing.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: GrandMoffNick on January 24, 2018, 08:25 AM
Damn it. Looks like I won't be shopping at Tru anymore
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on January 24, 2018, 09:20 AM
The Chino Hills one stays open. All the others around it close.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on January 24, 2018, 09:35 AM
Damn, looks like our Minnesota peeps are losing Blaine, Minnetonka, AND Woodbury...that's gotta hurt. Sorry, guys.

None of the 3 in my area are closing, thankfully.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on January 24, 2018, 09:48 AM
Check those addresses closely.  I was initially surprised to see the number of stores that were closing in New Jersey.  But when I googled the addresses, it turned out that most of them were Babies R Us locations.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on January 24, 2018, 09:53 AM
Damn, looks like our Minnesota peeps are losing Blaine, Minnetonka, AND Woodbury...that's gotta hurt. Sorry, guys.

Woodbury was converted to BRU store a while back so no loss there, but the other two are pretty popular stops.  Blaine was the closest TRU to my office so that's where I tended to do lunch runs back when shopping TRU was worth it (when retail actually got decent shipments of 3.75" figures :P).

I think that just leaves three stores in the Twin Cities - Maple Grove (which is more BRU than TRU), Maplewood, and Burnsville.  I guess I should go try to find that TRU exclusive Force Link set sooner rather than later now...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on January 24, 2018, 10:08 AM
The article said stores will be closing between February and May.  So now may be the time to do just that.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on January 24, 2018, 10:26 AM
Looks like every IL store that's closing is in the Chicago area... although the only one close to me isn't on the list for now. 
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Scockery on January 24, 2018, 04:56 PM
The only close TRU near me is closing. Otherwise it's a 40+ minute drive.

Sucks.

However, can't remember buying anything there in the past year. This isn't that much of a reflection on them, because there's so little at retail I care about anymore.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on January 24, 2018, 08:51 PM
My local stores are saved, probably because they're the TRU/Babies combo stores. They're always PACKED, which I find weird. Surely you can get baby clothes and diapers cheaper somewhere else that doesn't charge the TRU tax.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: I Am Sith on January 24, 2018, 09:38 PM
Looks like every IL store that's closing is in the Chicago area... although the only one close to me isn't on the list for now.

Yeah, the Vernon Hills store is about 10 minutes from me.  Was just there on Saturday picking up the Lego 'DJ' mini-figure.  Thankfully the one in Gurnee (15 minutes the other direction) will stay open for now.  Helps that it's in the same area as Gurnee Mills mall.  Lots of mall traffic for them to grab.

Wondering if they are going to move inventory to other locations or actually discount it to get rid of it.  Might be worth trying to get some of the larger Lego sets at a 20-30% discount.  I'm not holding my breath for that though...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on January 24, 2018, 09:56 PM
Might be worth trying to get some of the larger Lego sets at a 20-30% discount.  I'm not holding my breath for that though...

That would bring them right in line with what they cost everywhere else!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on January 25, 2018, 01:09 AM
Nick is right that you gotta watch those addresses close.  TRU was called dead at my nearest one but actually it’s the BRU that is across the highway that is toast.  Thank goodness because, while I don’t go there often, I like knowing that I can if they have something I want.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Pete_Fett on January 25, 2018, 03:36 AM
Check those addresses closely.  I was initially surprised to see the number of stores that were closing in New Jersey.  But when I googled the addresses, it turned out that most of them were Babies R Us locations.

Unfortunately - this one 137 Route 35, Eatontown NJ is a straight-up Toys R Us and has been my go-to for finding Toys R Us Exclusives for the past 18 years as it's just a stone's throw from where I work.

Best find there? The Legacy Build-a-Droid wave that was exclusive to Toys R Us - the Build-a-Droid was BG-J38 and the wave featured K'Kruhk, Phase 1 Dark Trooper, Spacetrooper, Jaina, Jacen, Force Unleashed Shaak Ti and the Bespin Guard Variant - they got in something close to 20 cases and they were all out on the pegs AND thanks to some weird BOGO promotion that they were running at the same time, each figure came to less than $3 each.

I'm shocked that this store is the one that's closing and the Babies R Us that's around the corner is the one staying open.

Another major store that's closing Nick is that one in Elizabeth that's across the parking lot from the Ikea - for the AOTC Midnight Madness event, I'm pretty sure that was the ONLY store in NJ that opened at midnight.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on January 25, 2018, 11:44 AM
Yeah, I was aware of those two locations closing.  But out of about 10 closings across the state, half of them seemed to be Babies R Us locations.

The whole situation has been building for some time.  The shift to online retail is hurting brick and mortar stores, without a doubt.  Combine that with other factors and clearly, TRU has problems.  A recent report cited the fact that a good number of TRU stores were located within a 15 minute drive of another TRU store.  And that same report stated that many TRU locations are also located very close to their chief competitors:  Target and WalMart. 

TRU also does not manage their inventory anywhere near as efficiently as those competitors, notably Target.  Target can almost be characterized as ruthless in the way they manage their inventory.  Will the reorganization help TRU?  They'd better hope so.  And they also better modernize so that they can compete.  Otherwise we're going to be looking at a long goodbye to this chain.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Qui-Gon Jim on January 27, 2018, 07:25 PM
Retail is gasping its last breaths.

Our generation will be the last where kids grew up without online shopping as a primary vehicle for getting things. We really are the delineation; I see the “I shop online” crowd reducing with those older than we are, and increasing as the kids get younger. My children will never know a world where Amazon is not a huge thing.

If those rumors about Amazon acquiring Target come true?  Hoo boy.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on January 27, 2018, 11:53 PM
Retail isn’t going anywhere.  There are stores everywhere, but some business models won’t survive and a giant toy-only model might be one of those. 

Amazon is moving INTO retail.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Qui-Gon Jim on January 29, 2018, 02:14 PM
Retail as we have known it all our lives is going away.  Every year it seems like another major retailer is biting the dust.  The only ones that seem impervious are the bargain outlets and very specialized stores.  Brands that set themselves apart from what Amazon offers.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: JediJman on January 29, 2018, 03:35 PM
Retail as we have known it all our lives is going away.  Every year it seems like another major retailer is biting the dust.  The only ones that seem impervious are the bargain outlets and very specialized stores.  Brands that set themselves apart from what Amazon offers.

The retailer mix always undergoes some big changes from one decade to the next.  But retail stores aren't going anywhere.  Walmart added a hundred new stores in 2017, upping their count to 4,670.  Target has over 1,800 stores and has been adding about a dozen per year for the last several years.  There's a new German brick and mortar grocer called Lidl planning to open 150 stores in the U.S.  We're definitely seeing a shift in a sales towards more online, but its hardly taking over.  I believe the US GDP was like 7.5% E-commerce in 2016 vs. 9% in 2017. 
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dave on January 29, 2018, 04:23 PM
I think what Amazon is doing is just hastening the collapse of poorly run companies - e.g. TRU.  If you're well run and have a clear value to your customers you'll likely be just fine.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Muftak on January 29, 2018, 04:37 PM
Retail as we have known it all our lives is going away.  Every year it seems like another major retailer is biting the dust.

That may be and I for one am okay with it. Two of my favorite shopping experiences anymore (Costco and IKEA) are retail as I never knew it could be.

Make the shopping an experience that a family can enjoy as a day trip (seriously, we drive a couple hours to spend a day at IKEA. It's always worth it.) and you don't have to worry about shutting down.

TRU tried to do it with their "Geoffrey" stores, but it was not enough.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on January 29, 2018, 05:51 PM
Amazon is even doing brick & mortar retail now.  They've launched some mall based bookstores recently.  I've been to one near me.  Will it have legs?  We'll see.  And in the past week or so Amazon launched their Amazon Go grocery store in Seattle.  Even Amazon recognizes that need to be physically available to customers.

Brick and mortar retail is in the midst of a continual state of evolution.  They're still getting with the whole web and data revolution that's changing the nature of many businesses.  And physical stores will always have a place as long as people need things quickly, or if they offer an experience that cannot be had online.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Qui-Gon Jim on January 31, 2018, 11:11 AM
I think what Amazon is doing is just hastening the collapse of poorly run companies - e.g. TRU.  If you're well run and have a clear value to your customers you'll likely be just fine.

This is the point I was trying to make, put much more succinctly.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 8, 2018, 08:41 PM
It looks like TRU might be in even more trouble than previous reports let on. 

Toys ‘R’ Us Is Prepping to Liquidate Its U.S. Operations (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-08/toys-r-us-said-to-be-prepping-liquidation-of-u-s-operations)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on March 8, 2018, 09:57 PM
Dave Brandon does it again!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on March 9, 2018, 09:43 AM
I don't think the aholes who did the leveraged buy out back in 2005 and saddled the company with huge debts are getting nearly enough blame here.

Everyone wants to point a finger at Amazon, but it was this debt that pulled them under ultimately.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 9, 2018, 10:24 AM
That debt service has to be crushing TRU's business.

This is going to hurt a lot of people in my area.  There are loads of TRU stores, sure.  But the corporate HQ is a few miles from my house.  I know people who have worked for corporate.  And I really feel for them and what they may soon be going through.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on March 9, 2018, 06:41 PM
What!?  How dare you not make this about you and what toys you can’t get now.  :-X

#subtweets
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Darth_Anton on March 11, 2018, 12:40 PM
It's going to be hard to image life without TRU, if this happens. I've made a fair share of impulse buys of non-SW items while browsing for SW and the midnight madness events have been great excuses to take a break from life and geek out with good friends for a day. Hoping they're figure out a way to keep things going.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: BillCable on March 11, 2018, 02:31 PM
Seems like a prime opportunity for some entity to create a new toy retail chain and scoop up old TRU locations to operate.  The problem with TRU was always the debt.  Without the debt, a new chain could thrive.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: I Am Sith on March 11, 2018, 03:06 PM
I don't know a lot about what is going on with their debt, but would it benefit them to move to an online only fomat and exit all of their retail locations?  They are then only carrying the warehouse space and not paying for the retail locations and personnel.  Sucks for all of the employees at all of their locations and the cities now losing out on the tax revenue the stores generated, but it's a possible way to carry on.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 11, 2018, 06:06 PM
Amazon would eat TRU's lunch if they went online only.  Sure, closing the brick & mortar stores and selling off that real estate would help their balance sheet.  But Amazon has been building their online infrastructure and distribution network for a long time.  And Amazon's diversity of product ranges helps them if one sector falls short.... like toys.

I'm pissed at how TRU let themselves be saddled with all of that debt.  And I'm really hopeful that a buyer will come along and see some way to transform the business, restructure their debt, and find a new way to can continue on.  Hell, maybe Amazon can do that, too.  They have the cash.  And they already have a significant portion of the toy market.  They're working at competing with WalMart in a big way, especially since WalMart bought a significant online retailer like Jet.com.  Amazon took an inroads into brick & mortar retail when they bought Whole Foods because they saw value in that business, and a way to incorporate the store locations into their distribution network.  This could be another way for Amazon to use TRU in a similar fashion, along with having a place like the R Zone to offer up their own electronics.

There will always be a market, because there will always be kids.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: BillCable on March 12, 2018, 09:06 AM
Amazon already OWNS Toy R Us' online lunch...

https://www.amazon.com/Toys-R-Us/pages/6261281011
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 13, 2018, 08:26 PM
It looks like the end might be coming really soon for TRU:

CNBC:  Toys R Us prepares plan to liquidate its business (https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/13/toys-r-us-is-preparing-to-file-its-liquidation-plan-with-the-court.html)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Muftak on March 13, 2018, 08:56 PM
Clicked through to read the story and couldn't help but notice a large ad for WalMart's online service taking up the right-hand side of the page.

Nice.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: P-Siddy on March 14, 2018, 05:33 PM
And dead. Extinct in UK.  Death watch on US stores.

I’m concerned about that exclusive Zuckuss.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dave on March 14, 2018, 06:14 PM
I’m concerned about that exclusive Zuckuss.

I think it all depends on timing. 

If the item hasn't been made then it'll get delayed/cancelled. 

If its been made and is ready to ship from the factories, Hasbro will find some other retailer to take it.

If its already been shipped and is sitting in TRU warehouses somewhere, then who knows what'll happen. 
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: P-Siddy on March 14, 2018, 06:22 PM
I believe April is when it’s supposed to be released, so I’m sure they’re produced, but where they are is a good question.

EDIT:  It's official.  They're done. 

http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/14/news/companies/toys-r-us-closing-stores/index.html
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 14, 2018, 07:23 PM
It really is sad.  I have a lot of good memories from TRU over the years.  And I've actually made some friends with some staffers.  Some that I've known since the 90's.  I really feel for the people who are going to lose their jobs.  And I'm also that much more disappointed that I'm not going to be able to bring my kid to Toys R Us any more.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on March 14, 2018, 08:06 PM
I wonder if there's any scenario where Toys R Us could come back in a few years as a new thing with a smaller business model.

I mean, it worked for Hostess...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on March 14, 2018, 09:06 PM
If you’d told me Kmart/Sears would outlast TRU ten years ago I’d have said you’re insane.  Yet, here we are.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Darby on March 14, 2018, 09:22 PM
It's sad. I loved TRU growing up and obviously have spent an ungodly amount of time there as an adult. More than the end of a business, it's the end of an age and perhaps more concerning, an industry. There are a lot of forces at work against traditional toys as we know them, and the precipitous collapse of TRU promises more upheaval to come.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on March 15, 2018, 09:42 AM
I wonder if there's any scenario where Toys R Us could come back in a few years as a new thing with a smaller business model.

I mean, it worked for Hostess...

The head of the company that makes those awful Bratz toys is trying to buy the Canadian wing and keep it open under the old name. He is also looking into buying some of the US stores and doing the same. Kind of a  long shot, but who knows.

Bums me out definitely, ill never forget that commercial with the giraffe family driving through the snow at Christmas. "Toys R Us Time of Year" and all that.  :(

But yeah, up until a few weeks ago, it had probably been a year since I bought anything in one of their stores. I always got their exclusives online because they never showed up in stores until weeks later. Frustrated me that they didn't all carry the same stuff too, especially NECA and similar type collectibles. And their stubborn refusal to clearance, and stingy pricing when they did, was one of my biggest pet peeves.

Most of my more recent memories are less rosy...waiting in line for an hour at the TFA FF to get nothing, waiting outside the store at opening and having to literally foot race some fat nerd to the aisle for the Jaina/Jacen wave, etc.

Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Brian on March 15, 2018, 10:23 AM
Although it isn't necessarily surprising, it is kind of sad for us as well. Like many others, memories span my childhood up to taking our daughter there as well. I grew up on a farm in a small town, so we maybe went to the "city" once or twice a year. Every once in awhile, we would get to stop by Toys R Us. At that age, it basically seemed like going to an amusement park or something. A dedicated Toy Store was so amazing to me.

I've been going there somewhat regularly with my daughter since she's been old enough to care, and even now when she is a little less into toys each year, we still enjoy going to walk around. I would say we go about once a month or so, and I always tried to give them business when we could or the price wasn't too different. It was fairly close to where we live, as is a dumpy Wal-Mart, so I'd rather give TRU the business if given the choice. I know the world, and kids, have changed....but it is another example of a nostalgic thing that doesn't have a place in the modern world.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on March 15, 2018, 02:42 PM
We have a relatively new TRU  in Chino Hills. That place is always packed on weekends. It looks like people are doing Christmas shopping no matter what time of year it is. They even do special Lego building events on the weekend. The weekdays still see a lot people in the store. It's never dead. Unfortunately, they never get anything new when it comes to Star Wars but that isn't what kids are buying. The Lego area always has kids checking stuff out. I wonder what will happen to that store.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: BillCable on March 15, 2018, 03:40 PM
They didn't fail because it's a bad business concept.  They failed because they were saddled with billions in debt.

Someone like Walmart could launch a toy-only chain in the top performing locations and make a killing.  They could call it Wally World!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: I Am Sith on March 15, 2018, 06:37 PM
Definitely sad.  When I was growing up there was a TRU about 20 minutes or so away from my house and that was always my landmark to know where I was at.  I still recall driving with my parents and seeing that TRU (next to the Denny's) and knowing what direction we were travelling and how far away from home we were.  I won't forget that.

I'll miss wandering the aisles reminiscing about what it was like to be a kid...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 19, 2018, 03:34 PM
An anecdotal report from my TRU store visit today...

-LIQUIDATION SALES BEGIN THURSDAY, MARCH 22nd

-LIQUIDATION SALES WILL CONTINUE UNTIL STOCK IS SOLD OUT, OR MAY 15th  (WHICHEVER COMES FIRST)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on March 20, 2018, 11:09 AM
I was looking forward to placing a big order on their website, but they have already started pulling off droves of lines. there is almost no NECA stuff left whatsoever for example.  :(
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Pete_Fett on March 20, 2018, 12:43 PM
I was looking forward to placing a big order on their website, but they have already started pulling off droves of lines. there is almost no NECA stuff left whatsoever for example.  :(

Not surprising actually - they got a lot of stock for the holidays on credit and I believe I read in one article that a lot of it is probably going to be packed back up and returned to the manufacturer since they really didn't pay for it in the first place.

I'm hoping I might be able to score a couple more of the Force Link 2-pack sets that were exclusive to Toys R Us once the discounts start.

I wonder what this time-table means for the Solo toys. Aren't they hitting in April?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on March 20, 2018, 06:33 PM
Yeah I've heard LEGO does the same thing. No deals will be had, they just send the inventory back.

I stopped by my TRU today for what will probably be the last time. Mostly the same inventory they've had for the last 3 years or so. I might return when the deals start to see if I could get some more Rey/Crait and Ackbar/Officer sets for cheap.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 20, 2018, 07:16 PM
I wonder what this time-table means for the Solo toys. Aren't they hitting in April?

If the liquidation is supposed to conclude by May 15th?  I don't think any Solo product will land at TRU.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on March 20, 2018, 10:53 PM
I wonder what this time-table means for the Solo toys. Aren't they hitting in April?

If the liquidation is supposed to conclude by May 15th?  I don't think any Solo product will land at TRU.

Toys R Us owes Hasbro an estimated $59 million (https://qz.com/1090919/all-the-toys-and-makers-toys-r-us-owes-money-in-one-chart/), so I agree with Nick that it's pretty doubtful they are getting any Solo product. :P
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on March 21, 2018, 01:13 AM
Oh come on, there's that little window open there.  Maybe. 
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Chris M on March 21, 2018, 06:14 AM
Yeah I've heard LEGO does the same thing. No deals will be had, they just send the inventory back.


This makes me a bit sad.  I love Lego but refrain from buying much simply because of the price point and other priorities.  I was hoping to scoop up a few kits for a relatively decent sale.

Other than that, I might drop by and see if there are any PS4 games I want.  If not, I don't see myself buying anything from the local TRU.  I've only visited a few times over the past year, mainly for my daughter's Barbie stuff, and have seen nothing of significance or even current, on their shelves.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 21, 2018, 07:04 AM
I wonder what this time-table means for the Solo toys. Aren't they hitting in April?

If the liquidation is supposed to conclude by May 15th?  I don't think any Solo product will land at TRU.

Toys R Us owes Hasbro an estimated $59 million (https://qz.com/1090919/all-the-toys-and-makers-toys-r-us-owes-money-in-one-chart/), so I agree with Nick that it's pretty doubtful they are getting any Solo product. :P

Holy ****!  I had heard about TRU getting product on credit, but that's just ludicrous!  And the fact that they owe Mattel over $150 million?  I can't believe anyone would do business like that.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on March 21, 2018, 09:15 AM
Holy ****!  I had heard about TRU getting product on credit, but that's just ludicrous!  And the fact that they owe Mattel over $150 million?  I can't believe anyone would do business like that.

Why not?  It's Toys R Us, not Dark Side Toys... also, if you can't sell the product and pay for it, manufacturers just take the product back at bankruptcy...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on March 21, 2018, 09:16 AM
I checked out the Chino Hills TRU no signs up for store closing yet. However the Clare's section was almost completely empty. I guess Clare's took their merchandise back. I wonder if TRUs are going to start finding weird unsold Star Wars figures from TVC or ROTS laying around. I assume places like Koles and TJ Max will start seeing more toy inventory soon.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: BillCable on March 21, 2018, 11:36 AM
Holy ****!  I had heard about TRU getting product on credit, but that's just ludicrous!  And the fact that they owe Mattel over $150 million?  I can't believe anyone would do business like that.

Why not?  It's Toys R Us, not Dark Side Toys... also, if you can't sell the product and pay for it, manufacturers just take the product back at bankruptcy...

That's a horrible deal for the manufactures.  Now they'll be sitting on millions of dollars of pegwarming inventory.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: CorranHorn on March 21, 2018, 12:00 PM
Holy ****!  I had heard about TRU getting product on credit, but that's just ludicrous!  And the fact that they owe Mattel over $150 million?  I can't believe anyone would do business like that.

Why not?  It's Toys R Us, not Dark Side Toys... also, if you can't sell the product and pay for it, manufacturers just take the product back at bankruptcy...


That's a horrible deal for the manufactures.  Now they'll be sitting on millions of dollars of pegwarming inventory.


Many of the manufacturers will turn around and sell their wares to discounters like TJ Maxx and Five Below with the hope they will sell their. Some money will be better than none. Unless of course it is more cost effective for the manufacturers to just trash the toys...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 21, 2018, 12:03 PM
Ooooh!   $5 Constable Zuvios!!!!!!

If only those things could wind up in the same landfill as that Atari ET game...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dave on March 21, 2018, 02:59 PM

Toys R Us owes Hasbro an estimated $59 million (https://qz.com/1090919/all-the-toys-and-makers-toys-r-us-owes-money-in-one-chart/)

Holy ****!  I had heard about TRU getting product on credit, but that's just ludicrous!  And the fact that they owe Mattel over $150 million?  I can't believe anyone would do business like that.

This is standard retail stuff.  Things are shipped with 30 to 90-day net terms in most industries.  I know it sounds like a lot of money, but $59 million might only be two month's of Hasbro sales for TRU and line up with 60 day net terms.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on March 22, 2018, 10:32 AM
The head of the company that makes those awful Bratz toys is trying to buy the Canadian wing and keep it open under the old name. He is also looking into buying some of the US stores and doing the same. Kind of a  long shot, but who knows.

From the "you can't be serious" file, the Bratz guy is now trying to launch a crowd-funding project (https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/03/22/toy-co-ceo-leads-effort-save-toys-r-us/448314002/) to get $800,000,000 so they can save TRU.

Oh sure, let's all pitch in over three-quarters of a billion dollars so the CEO and his investors can buy TRU and keep it open.   ::)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: BillCable on March 22, 2018, 11:18 AM
Toy manufacturers stand to lose the most from this deal.  Can't fault them for trying (as ridiculous as it might be).
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: BillCable on March 22, 2018, 11:20 AM
Quote
$10,000,000+: #SaveToysRUs bumper sticker, pin, magnet, “I’ll ALWAYS be a Toys“R”Us Kid” t-shirt, invite to a local Toys“R”Us reopening block party, a signed thank you letter from Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment, AND Kid CEO for the Day experience including a trip to a southern California theme park, travel and accommodations, and Toys“R”Us store dedication naming rights for location of your choosing and toys for life from Toys“R”Us. 1, 2
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 22, 2018, 11:23 AM
Crowdfunding $800 million?  Yeah, right!!!!

Manufacturers definitely have a vested interest in keeping retail outlets open and running.  But this seems misguided.  And in order to keep 400 locations open?  It seems more ambitious than the 200 store concept that's been circulating.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Qui-Gon Jim on March 22, 2018, 11:59 AM
I checked out the Chino Hills TRU no signs up for store closing yet. However the Clare's section was almost completely empty. I guess Clare's took their merchandise back. I wonder if TRUs are going to start finding weird unsold Star Wars figures from TVC or ROTS laying around. I assume places like Koles and TJ Max will start seeing more toy inventory soon.

I think I read somewhere that Claire's is also going knockers-up.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 22, 2018, 11:08 PM
Decided to check out the TRU in Aurora since I work near there and I did pick up a couple of Lego sets for the boys and the TRU Exclusive X-wing for myself.  Managed to unload the only gift cards we had left.

I talked to the cashier and they are going to stay open until everything in their warehouse has been sold.  Also, this affects Babies R Us as well.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on March 23, 2018, 09:07 AM
I went yesterday since that was supposed to be the day the liquidation sale started but there were no sales whatsoever, and no new stock either. I was hoping for a bunch of stuff to show up as their warehouses started purging inventory.

Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 23, 2018, 10:09 AM
So this MGA bid is hinging on Isaac Larian raising $1 billion in order to save 400 of the TRU stores?  And the target date they have is by the end of May?  I really have to wonder if it's possible to raise that kind of money that fast.  And if it's not?  It certainly seems like the hedge funds like Bain and Blackrock will probably do what they did with KB - hang on to the brand for a while and sell it off at a later date.  Because the name definitely has value.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on March 23, 2018, 11:01 AM
Do you remember this:

(https://i.imgur.com/zV4LcRx.jpg)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on March 23, 2018, 11:08 AM
I wonder what this time-table means for the Solo toys. Aren't they hitting in April?

If the liquidation is supposed to conclude by May 15th?  I don't think any Solo product will land at TRU.

Toys R Us owes Hasbro an estimated $59 million (https://qz.com/1090919/all-the-toys-and-makers-toys-r-us-owes-money-in-one-chart/), so I agree with Nick that it's pretty doubtful they are getting any Solo product. :P

Yakface has TRU store reports for Solo Black Series 6" (http://yakfaceforums.com/main/2018/03/23/tbs-wave-16-hitting-toysrus/) (Texas) and Nerf products (http://yakfaceforums.com/main/2018/03/22/solo-nerf-glowstrike-blasters-found-at-tru/) (California), so I guess they did already get some Solo product from Hasbro.

Seems crazy to me, but I suppose it was already shipped and en route to TRU before they decided on total liquidation.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 23, 2018, 02:47 PM
Wow.  I'm surprised that they would have shipped that much product out a month in advance of the street date.  But it would probably cost Hasbro more to reclaim that stock and figure out a way to re-distribute it.

Today I walked in to what I consider my "home" Toys R Us store.  I’ve been going to that store since the 80's when they put another toy chain, Child World, out of business.  And when I saw the “GOING OUT OF BUSINESS” sign it was like a slap in the face.   

Notable signs?  All sales are final as of today.  Action figures are discounted 10%, and construction/LEGO is discounted by 5%.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Pete_Fett on March 23, 2018, 07:37 PM
Wow.  I'm surprised that they would have shipped that much product out a month in advance of the street date.  But it would probably cost Hasbro more to reclaim that stock and figure out a way to re-distribute it.

Today I walked in to what I consider my "home" Toys R Us store.  I’ve been going to that store since the 80's when they put another toy chain, Child World, out of business.  And when I saw the “GOING OUT OF BUSINESS” sign it was like a slap in the face.   

Notable signs?  All sales are final as of today.  Action figures are discounted 10%, and construction/LEGO is discounted by 5%.

That was what I was referring to in my original post back on the 20th - the boats leave Asia and the shipments head to stores MONTHS before the street date and these liquidation announcements have been pretty rapid-faire. So my point was - will Toys R Us put Han Solo stuff out if it makes it all the way from the distribution warehouses to the stores or will they be expected to just pack it up and ship it back.

Sounds like we already have the answer based on Jeff's post, and honestly, I'm not surprised, you're working at a store that is closing, you're probably worried about finding your next job, who gives a damn if that 6" Han Solo toy is supposed to be shipped back to Hasbro or if it can go out on the shelves, your manager just said bring stuff out of the stock room, so that's what you're gonna do.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 25, 2018, 11:34 AM
My question was really about whether or not product had gotten from Hasbro's distribution centers to Toys R Us.  And frankly I'm a little surprised that it already shipped to Toys R Us' distribution network.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Muftak on March 25, 2018, 12:30 PM
My question was really about whether or not product had gotten from Hasbro's distribution centers to Toys R Us.  And frankly I'm a little surprised that it already shipped to Toys R Us' distribution network.

I'm not. I haven't seen a TFA restock at any of the stores I go to in over a month, but I have seen the Solo 6" figures pop out at WalMart twice. This stuff shipped a while ago and they're sitting on it.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on March 30, 2018, 04:28 PM
Just saw a note that TRU.com is no longer taking orders - when you try to checkout, you get a pop-up box that says:

Quote
Thanks for visiting. We have shut down the website for any purchases but our brick and mortar stores are open and holding going out of business sales. You can keep up-to-date with the sale at goodbuytoysrus.com (http://goodbuytoysrus.com) and liquidation-going-out-of-business-FAQs (https://www.toysrus.com/cobrand/help/liquidation-going-out-of-business-faqs). We encourage you to stop by your local store and take full advantage of the deep discounts and deals available. Thank you for your business and support over the years.

Sincerely, Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us teams.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on March 30, 2018, 09:10 PM
 :-\
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on April 2, 2018, 09:19 AM
That site would be a lot more helpful to me if they would update whenever the prices drop in store. I figure it's not even worth my time til they hit 50% off or more...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Qui-Gon Jim on April 2, 2018, 10:39 AM
I stopped by one of our TRU's yesterday and it was BONKERS at 10% off.  Half of the Lego section was empty at 5% off.  By the time it hits 30% there will be nothing of value left. 
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on April 2, 2018, 11:36 AM
That site would be a lot more helpful to me if they would update whenever the prices drop in store. I figure it's not even worth my time til they hit 50% off or more...

Good luck with that.  TRU is trying to make as much money as possible right now in the liquidation process.  And by the time they get around to the really deep discounts?  I doubt there's going to be much left that anyone would really want to buy.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: GrandMoffNick on April 2, 2018, 11:44 AM
I went today. It will be my last ever trip. Scraps left.  :'(
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on April 2, 2018, 11:47 AM
I stopped by one of our TRU's yesterday and it was BONKERS at 10% off.  Half of the Lego section was empty at 5% off.  By the time it hits 30% there will be nothing of value left.

Same story at the one I usually go to in Chicago.  10% off, 5% off Lego, the store is like 50% picked over already.

They should have just had a 10% off sale from time to time to clear out old stock and maybe they wouldn't have been in this mess.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on April 2, 2018, 12:13 PM
I remember seeing something similar when some area K-Mart stores shut down during their last round of store closures.  They were just grinding their way down on discounts, a little bit at a time.  When they got down to some of the best sales the store looked decimated!  Large sections of the store roped off, and shelving consolidated in accordance with the depleted amount of stock on hand.

I imagine that with some stores this is going to take longer than it will at others.  Some stores will be fed by warehouses that have more stock than others.  I know that at one area store which was on that list of initial closures (which was part of the restructuring), the discounts are down to around 70% off.  But that got announced in January, and the target date for that particular store closing was in April.

Then there's the psychology of this situation coming into play.  So many parents want to be able to take their kids to a toy store.  And the weekend after the liquidation story broke a lot of stores were inundated with people.  Most of them probably didn't get a sense about how this was all going to play out in terms of the liquidation schedule, and they bought in on the 10% off on action figures and 5% off on LEGO.  And frankly, ANY sale with LEGO is usually an event since it almost never goes on sale.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Qui-Gon Jim on April 2, 2018, 12:55 PM
And frankly, ANY sale with LEGO is usually an event since it almost never goes on sale.

5% is available every day with Target.  These are just casual bargain hunters.  LOL.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on April 2, 2018, 12:57 PM
5% is available every day with Target.  These are just casual bargain hunters.  LOL.

And at Target, Lego costs less to begin with.

People are literally paying more for Lego at a going-out-of-business sale than they could down the street.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on April 2, 2018, 01:14 PM
And frankly, ANY sale with LEGO is usually an event since it almost never goes on sale.

5% is available every day with Target.  These are just casual bargain hunters.  LOL.

For those who know how to shop at Target stores and have a red card?  Yes. But I don’t think everyone is hip to that.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Qui-Gon Jim on April 3, 2018, 10:24 AM
And frankly, ANY sale with LEGO is usually an event since it almost never goes on sale.

5% is available every day with Target.  These are just casual bargain hunters.  LOL.

For those who know how to shop at Target stores and have a red card?  Yes. But I don’t think everyone is hip to that.
Clearly since the Legos were wiped out at 5%. 
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on April 3, 2018, 03:57 PM
As the Toys R Us chain comes closer to shutting down, TRU corporate is set to auction off the leases to their retail locations to other retailers.  Read this USA Today article for more.

Toys R Us leases to be bid on this week by companies like Target, Big Lots, Aldi and others (https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/03/28/toys-r-us-leases-bid-week-companies-like-target-big-lots-aldi-and-others/467413002/).

Articles like this, as well as ones like this (https://www.northjersey.com/story/money/2018/04/02/toys-r-us-furniture-chain-bids-1-3-million-paramus-store/477606002/) indicate that any hopes that Toys R Us corporate might be able to keep some smaller percentage of the chain open and operating seem to be wishful thinking.  There are even articles about what may happen with the TRU headquarters campus (https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/business/2018/03/30/toys-r-us-collapse-creates-large-corporate-office-vacancy-wayne/457417002/) and what will happen with all of that soon to be vacant office space.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Matt_Fury on April 8, 2018, 12:29 PM
Took a trip by our lcal TRU to see what was available.  We picked up a bunch of board games and I finally picked up the Landspeeder electric car “for the boys” ...the second they are too old for it, it will find a space in my collection room.

The landspeeder was by far the best deal....it started at half price and added another 10% off!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Scockery on April 8, 2018, 05:38 PM
I was there thursday, my local store was one of the original close list, so it's at 70% off and it was grim inside.

Also, proof that Jyn Erso is the worst selling star wars lead character. Her 3 3/4" figures and whatever that Hasbro action doll line is figures were the only ones left of those assortments.  Still had 20+ First Order TIE pilots armor up versions but still $4+, at 70%??  No 3 3/4" vehicles left.  Zuvio at 6", only remaining 6 incher, still scans at $5.

All the True Heroes stuff was long gone, its aisle empty...interesting.

All Lego was gone save that weird action figure thing of guess who....Jyn Erso.

All Playmobil gone except some overpriced hockey guy.

Whole sections of store closed off with yellow warning tape.

Suffice to say, if there's something you want don't wait for 70% off.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on April 9, 2018, 05:08 PM
No love for Felicity Jones. :-[
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on April 9, 2018, 05:25 PM
No love for Felicity Jones. :-[

More likely it was a case of Hasbro over-compensating on Jyn’s production numbers after the whole “Where’s Rey” phenomenon.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: P-Siddy on April 9, 2018, 05:29 PM
We know who’s to blame for that.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on April 13, 2018, 04:39 PM
http://money.cnn.com/2018/04/13/news/companies/toys-r-us-billionaire-bid/index.html

Billionaire CEO behind Bratz makes his bid for Toys 'R' US

Isaac Larian said Friday that he's entered a formal offer of $675 million to buy many of the Toys "R" Us stores in the United States, along with an additional $215 million for Toys "R" Us stores in Canada.

Larian is looking to buy more than 200 of the remaining 735 locations in the US, and almost all of more than 80 locations in Canada, a spokesperson said.

Larian, who runs MGA Entertainment, will use his own money for the bid, along with financing from banks and additional investors, according to a press release.

"The liquidation of Toys 'R' Us is going to have a long-term effect on the toy business. The industry will truly suffer," he said in a statement. "The prospect of bringing the Toys 'R' Us experience to a new generation, my new grandson's generation, is enough to motivate me to Save Toys 'R' Us."

Toys "R" Us declined to comment.

(More in the link)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on April 14, 2018, 09:18 AM
A nearly $900 million bid for the U.S. and Canadian stores?  It's an interesting prospect.  And it would be a tremendous loss to the toy industry to lose TRU.  I think that this question goes beyond TRU's current leadership and would lie with their ownership, Bain Capital and Blackrock, along with their lenders.  Do they think that bid is a better return on investment than the liquidation?

And another pertinent question is about the existing TRU real estate leases:  how many of those have already been auctioned off?  All of those factors, along with the return of KB Toys to the marketplace make things more complicated.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Chris M on April 23, 2018, 11:16 AM
I took my daughter here this weekend...and guess what...shelves loaded with stuff and on sale for 10-15% off.  With that in mind, it brought the prices in line with the local Target and Walmart prices.  Again no wonder TRU is going under.

I will say most of the video games were gone AND I did see some SW stuff I hadn't seen before.  But that isn't really an issue being that I don't collect anymore.  I did try to find some Transformer stuff, but there wasn't even a section for them.  So my daughter walked around looking for the LOL surprise, Shopkins, and whatever else her age is doing and it was pointless.  I told her save her cash and we'll come back in a couple of weeks when they really put stuff on sale.

I couldn't believe the sale prices were so low when the store closings are less than a month away.  At least I thought I read the day was 22 May.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: BillCable on April 23, 2018, 11:22 AM
Same deal in Pittsburgh.  Very full shelves, and everything marked 10-15% off.  Unchanged from how it was the first weekend I went there.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: GrandMoffNick on April 23, 2018, 12:08 PM
Store by me that was in the first batch is totally closed now
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Qui-Gon Jim on April 23, 2018, 02:37 PM
Same deal in Pittsburgh.  Very full shelves, and everything marked 10-15% off.  Unchanged from how it was the first weekend I went there.
Yet they pay people to stand by the road holding a sign that says up to 40% off.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on April 24, 2018, 06:40 AM
Some liquidation, eh?  TRU corporate seems to recognize that the bargain hunters are primed to make a move, hence the smaller discounts on Star Wars.  I was fully expecting something like that.  I had seen something similar when some KMart stores were shutting down.  The markdown schedule was slow and steady as they tried to maximize their revenue from the clearances.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on April 24, 2018, 06:35 PM
I haven’t set foot in one in a while.  TRU suffered bad with the current Star Wars trend on toys so I haven’t had a need to go.  With the 06-12 exclusives I was hitting them all the time.  Then the discounts they’d run now and then I’d go just for those.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on April 24, 2018, 10:47 PM
Ours is stuck at the 10-15% off range too, but at least they are getting some new stuff. I picked up new Bandai as well as McFarlane figures this past week and was thankful for even the small discount as it was stuff I can't find anyplace else. If that was my last purchase I'm happy to have gone out with some gusto.  :)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on April 24, 2018, 11:09 PM
My stores were out of good stuff long before the bankruptcy was announced, and haven't gotten anything new. Anything good like the stuff from the "collectors aisle" and most LEGO was sent back to the manufacturers. The same 50+ Zuvios and Finns that didn't sell for $20 are shockingly not selling for $18
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on May 12, 2018, 09:26 AM
Down to 40% off at the TRU stores that are still open.  I was surprised to see so much there.  There were definitely a good number of exclusives still on hand:  ROGUE ONE Battle damaged TIE Striker, TBS 6" Ackbar & FO Officer, TLJ Force Link gauntlet with Praetorian & Executioner Stormtrooper, TLJ boosted X-wing.  I picked up the Force Link gauntlet to get the 2 exclusive figures at $19 and change, plus a $12 40AC Death Squad Commander.

And plenty of high dollar items on hand:  TFA Falcon (I may buy this on deep discount), ROGUE ONE AT-ACT, TLJ BB-8/Flagship playset, Force FX Kylo Ren lightsaber.

I also saw that the store I went to was already prepping fixtures for sale.  The 8' gondola with endcaps was going for $150.  Shelves were extra.  But I wonder if they would throw in pegs?  Because that would be one great way to display a carded collection.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on May 12, 2018, 10:40 PM
I checked today and Ours is still at 30% off and no new stuff in awhile, starting to look pretty bleak in there.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Matt_Fury on May 13, 2018, 04:28 PM
I also saw that the store I went to was already prepping fixtures for sale.  The 8' gondola with endcaps was going for $150.  Shelves were extra.  But I wonder if they would throw in pegs?  Because that would be one great way to display a carded collection.

That would be worth a look.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on May 13, 2018, 06:49 PM
I also saw that the store I went to was already prepping fixtures for sale.  The 8' gondola with endcaps was going for $150.  Shelves were extra.  But I wonder if they would throw in pegs?  Because that would be one great way to display a carded collection.

That would be worth a look.

It's actually double sided, and with at least the one endcap.  But you need and appropriately size space in order to make a piece like this work.  And a truck to haul the damned thing home!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Chris M on May 24, 2018, 10:15 PM
I stopped by on my way home today.  Stuff is on sale for 40-60% off now.  I grabbed a couple of Nerf guns and a few hundred rounds for me and my daughter.  I told her when that stuff went on a real sale I'd scoop some up.  Most of the actual guns were sold, so I figured it was now or never unless I wanted to be stuck with the zombie crossbow and nothing else.  My daughter will be stoked when I surprise her with them.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on May 25, 2018, 02:44 PM
I might pick up a TIE Striker. I know my TRU has four 6" scale TIEs and about a dozen BB-8 playsets. Last I checked they were $90.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Brian on June 2, 2018, 07:31 PM
Stopped in at our local store today, with everything in the store at the 40-60% level. Star Wars was at 50% off. I picked up the Black Series Admiral Ackbar 2 pack (last one they had), that I had been waiting on. Happy with the $15 price though. Really wish I hadn't been beat to the nice video game glass cases. Not sure what they were charging but they were all sold and would have made some spiffy display cases for some action figures.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on June 5, 2018, 11:19 AM
I might pick up a TIE Striker. I know my TRU has four 6" scale TIEs and about a dozen BB-8 playsets. Last I checked they were $90.

I got my 6" TIE for like $60 over a year ago.  The BB-8's were down to $45 at Wal-Mart the other day.  I think you can do better.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on June 5, 2018, 04:39 PM
I stopped in this past weekend and it was meh.  50% is ok I guess and I got a Hermit Luke and Rey 2-pack and two imperial bikes from rebels.  It’ll do.

I’d like a cheap atact, but I’ll live without it Cuz my stores don’t have them at all.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Chris M on June 5, 2018, 06:47 PM
We went in on Sunday.  Little did my daughter know that I had already bought a couple of nerf guns.  So we bought her a crossbow and went into our long hallway to put it together and try it out.  We got it working and then told her to practice for a bit and we'd be back. (I'm a nut for gun safety so even though it's nerf, she still treats it like a loaded gun).

Anyway, my wife and I took the chance to put our guns together and then called my daughter into the living room...and blasted her.  And that in turned became a half hour long firefight on Sunday, and another hour last night. 

So I guess we paid around $60 for 3 guns and a pack of 100 rounds of ammo...probably $120 worth of stuff.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Pete_Fett on June 7, 2018, 11:57 PM
I stopped in this past weekend and it was meh.  50% is ok I guess and I got a Hermit Luke and Rey 2-pack and two imperial bikes from rebels.  It’ll do.

I’d like a cheap atact, but I’ll live without it Cuz my stores don’t have them at all.

Hermit Luke & Rey 2-pack? Nevermind, I'm guessing you mean the 6" Black Series 2-pack of Rey & Luke that was a SDCC 2017 exclusive, I didn't realize that it also was available from brick-and-mortar TRU stores.

I swung by my local TRU tonight and Star Wars was 50% now as well. Picked up a 2nd opener of the Force Link Executioner & Praetorian Guard set for $17.50.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on June 8, 2018, 09:01 AM
It's really curious some of the oddball stuff they are getting in lately. I stopped by yesterday and ours had an endcap overflowing with 5" Walking Dead Negan comic figures. That was the only figure from that wave and they literally must have had 30-40 of him at least.

NECA aisle is a wasteland...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on June 8, 2018, 08:26 PM
No Pete I was talking about the basic figure two pack of Rey and Praetorian Guard.  Luke was just a random basic someone had hidden.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on June 9, 2018, 11:40 AM
TRU must be bring in new inventory from the warehouse. My TRU suddenly has 25 BB-8 playsets for $75. There must have been about 200 cheap sharper image RC cars there. They for about $15. They are still cheaper at Kohls. TLJ and RO figures still don't sell at 40% off. There is a huge stack of 6" Ackbar/imperial sets.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Pete_Fett on June 10, 2018, 02:15 AM
No Pete I was talking about the basic figure two pack of Rey and Praetorian Guard.  Luke was just a random basic someone had hidden.

Ahh, that makes A LOT more sense - thanks for clarifying...



Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Muftak on June 10, 2018, 06:01 PM
Took my kids to our TRU to look around today and finally found something I'd bite at: the Imperial Bike with AT-DP Pilot. They had a few of them along with the Ezra Bike and Kanan Y-Wing filling six feet of display space in an aisle far removed from the Star Wars section. Only $10, which was the price I was looking for back in 2016.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on June 12, 2018, 11:21 AM
I've seen a lot of those. The 99 cents only store had them for $7.99 last Christmas. Why weren't they 99cents at the 99 cents only store?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on June 14, 2018, 10:34 AM
I got a bunch of those for $5 when Walmart was blowing them out, great deal.

Tuesday Morning still has a few on the shelves now for $10 too...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on June 23, 2018, 08:56 PM
The remaining TRU stores near me are now liquidating at a 60 - 80% off level.  That appears to be the final level before a store closes.

The store I went to today was pretty depressing.  Most of the store was roped off and they were trying to sell the fixtures.  The Star Wars stock was in various places, and pretty well picked over.  As much as I'd like to buy another First Order Snowspeeder, Resistance Ski Speeder or Y-wing Scout Bomber for 60% off?  I just wasn't interested enough to deal with a line that looked like it would take at least 20 minutes to get to the register.

Probably the most sad thing?  My kid mentioned to me during the week that she was sad that Toys R Us was closing.  And she was wondering if there was going to be a toy store that we could go to. 
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Muftak on June 23, 2018, 10:50 PM
I was at TRU with my kids today too. My 8-year old pointed out a flyer on the door that said "final 7 days" and we concurred that this would probably be our last time in the store.

Ours looked the same as yours. I took them up on a Scout Y-Wing (hadn't bought one yet) for $8, my sons got Lego tape for cheap and a knock-off Beyblade stadium for a buck, and there was not really much else we cared to look at.

The lines seemed long, but the service desk pulled us out of line to get rung up there. I guess as long as you didn't have a cartful you were okay...I saw an Amish family with two carts loaded with every Pixar "Cars" playset they had left (which must have been fifty or so.) Not sure if those are headed for a tourist gift shop or what, but the service desk was good about getting the people with just a couple things out the door.

That particular TRU has been my stomping grounds since it opened in 1989...I bought my first POTF2 figures there, fondly remember preordering my Nintendo64 there when that was a new and exciting option...and much more recently spending time hanging out in the "Thomas and Friends" aisle while the boys played with the train table. It will be missed.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on June 25, 2018, 12:43 PM
I was watching CNBC this morning, and they reported that the remaining TRU stores in the U.S. will likely close by the end of this week.  My personal travels take me by the TRU corporate headquarters campus at least a couple of times a week, as well.  And they have signs by the road indicating that they're selling off their office equipment at deep discounts.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on June 25, 2018, 01:50 PM
Check out this news:

Party City to open Toy City stores in wake of Toys R Us demise (https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/25/party-city-to-open-toy-city-stores-in-wake-of-toys-r-us-demise.html)

From what I can see, Party City is a national chain with locations all over the U.S.  But the pop-up nature of this project means that they may just be testing the waters in the toy business.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Chris M on June 26, 2018, 06:09 PM
My daughter and I went in for one last look today with stuff 70-90% off.  There was virtually nothing left with the exception of some Oakland A's Sonny Gray McFarlane figure.  If you know baseball, Gray hasn't pitched for Oakland since the middle of last season.  There were a couple of random things here and there, but that was about it aside from shelving that was for sale.  I did manage to score some 9v batteries for $2 a package. 

But, a bittersweet time in my life closed today.  The one I visited with my daughter is the same one my mom used to take me to when I'd come to visit her.

I've said before, it's no wonder TRU is closing it's doors...old selection, no rotation of new items, over priced and no sales.  They just couldn't cut it with Walmart and Target in regards to brick and mortar, and then there was no way they could compete with Amazon online.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: CorranHorn on June 28, 2018, 07:43 PM
I got a chance on Sunday to goto my childhood TRU, which also happened to be next to the high school I went to. All that was left from SW were items that every store around me has had in bulk; TFA speeder bike, 40th ann TBS Vader, Vader masks, and BB,8 playsets. All overpriced, even at clearance, which is appropriate for a TRU. Nevertheless, It was very sad to walk through the bones of the store where I got so many Star Wars, GI Joe, and Transformers toys along with the SNES.

Farewell Riverview TRU...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on June 30, 2018, 01:01 PM
I was up in Provo UT coming down from our trip to Yellowstone. It was the last day that TRU was open and really nothing left but about a half dozen Constable Zuvio for $3.99. Even at that price no one was touching them. I passed and I don't even have the figure.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on July 1, 2018, 05:40 PM
I popped in on Thursday for my last visit.  It was also picked over but I did buy a 4K copy of the last Ghostbusters movie for like $5.  Because why not.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Matt_Fury on July 2, 2018, 12:12 AM
I popped in on Thursday for my last visit.  It was also picked over but I did buy a 4K copy of the last Ghostbusters movie for like $5.  Because why not.

Which Ghostbusters movie?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on July 2, 2018, 08:20 AM
I just couldn't bring myself to go to TRU again this past week.  My last stop in a little over a week ago was just sad.  The closed off aisles, the scattershot way the product was on shelves.  I definitely didn't want to bring my kid into a setting like that.  I'm much more interested in bringing her to Toy City or KB Toys when those pop-up stores start opening.

But then there have been the social media posts about how some are working to bring TRU back in some way.  One group seems to be led by a former CEO.  But I can't see Bain, KKR and Vornado letting the TRU trademarks go to new owners before the hedge funds that own it all are able to take all of the tax benefits for their losses.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on July 2, 2018, 09:45 AM
I was broke all last week and when I finally went by for the last time on Friday they were already closed.  :'(

Really bummed I missed that last chance nostalgia.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on October 3, 2018, 05:51 AM
The news of the demise of Toys R Us may have been premature...

Toys 'R' Us lenders cancel auction, plan to revive brand (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-toysrus-bankruptcy/toys-r-us-lenders-cancel-auction-plan-to-revive-brand-idUSKCN1MC2MJ)

(Reuters) - The top lenders of Toys ‘R’ Us have decided to cancel the bankruptcy auction of its brand name and other intellectual property assets and instead plan to revive the Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us brand names, a court filing on Monday showed.

The bankrupt retailer’s debtors aim to open a new Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us branding company that maintains existing global license agreements and can invest and develop new retail shops.

The lenders also plan to expand its international presence and further develop its private brands business.

The bids were not superior to the plan to revive the brand as it did not offer “probable economic recovery” to creditors as well as benefits to stakeholders who would maintain the brands under the new independent U.S. business, the court filing showed.

Toys “R” Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September last year, hoping to restructure some $5 billion in debt, much of which stemmed from a $6.6 billion leveraged buyout by private equity firms in 2005.

But the company changed course in March, saying it would sell its operations in Canada, Asia and Europe, and shut down in the United States.

Under the intellectual property auction, the company had planned to sell its assets, including the brand names of Toys ‘R’ Us, Babies ‘R’ Us, registry lists, website domains, Geoffrey the Giraffe and other assets.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on October 3, 2018, 09:34 AM
I'm going through TRU Saturday withdrawals.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on October 11, 2018, 07:32 PM
Check out this press release (http://toysrus.com/press-release/100618/index.html), because Toys R Us is coming back!


Geoffrey, LLC’s Assets to Be Acquired by Its Secured Lenders

WAYNE, NJ – October 2, 2018 – Geoffrey, LLC, Toys “R” Us, Inc.’s intellectual property holding company subsidiary, announced today that it is moving forward with a plan for substantially all of its assets to be acquired by a group of investors led by Geoffrey, LLC’s existing secured lenders.
The announcement was made following a five month marketing effort by Boston-based Consensus, an investment bank retained to market the assets of Geoffrey, LLC, that resulted in several formal and informal proposals to acquire the intellectual property assets. After considering such proposals, it was determined that the proposal from the existing term lenders was meaningfully higher and better than any other global bid or the sum of the bids received on individual assets. The transition of the business to its new owners is pending approval of the United States Bankruptcy Court and all major creditor constituencies are supportive. Geoffrey, LLC thanks all parties that participated in discussions with the company over the prior months, particularly those that submitted proposals, for their thoughtful and diligent engagement.

Geoffrey, LLC, as reorganized, will control a portfolio of intellectual property that includes trademarks, ecommerce assets and data associated with the Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us businesses in the United States and all over the world, including a portfolio of over 20 well-known toy and baby brands such as Imaginarium, Koala Baby, Fastlane and Journey Girls. The reorganized company will own rights to the Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us brands in all markets globally, with the exception of Canada. It will also become the licensor of the brands to the company’s existing network of franchisees operating in countries across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and in South Africa.

In addition to continuing to service these markets, the new owners are actively working with potential partners to develop ideas for new Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores in the United States and abroad that could bring back these iconic brands in a new and re-imagined way. Geoffrey LLC will provide additional detail on this front as it becomes available.




There are additional rumors circulating about the brand, and that they may launch pop-up shops for the holiday season that will be located within a national retail chain, with the possible name "Geoffrey's Toy Box".  My personal theory is that it may be a partnership with Macy's stores.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Scockery on October 11, 2018, 10:17 PM
Back by the people who doomed it from what I understand

The CEO of MGA won't have anything to do with Geoffory's Toy Box.

https://amp.northjersey.com/amp/1514735002 (https://amp.northjersey.com/amp/1514735002)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Darth_Anton on December 31, 2018, 12:58 PM
I've noticed all my former TRU now housing Halloween City and Toy City. Does anyone else have this? Haven't stopped in to check out Toy City yet? Is it worth a look?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Muftak on December 31, 2018, 05:01 PM
I hit the one near me with my boys a few weeks back to see if it scratched the itch left by our lost trips to TRU. It was a letdown, the layout and selection were more like the TRU Express store from the Outlet  mall.

As far as Star Wars, they had roleplaying stuff and the goofy stuff no one asked for, a few Vintage Wave 1 figures, and the Solo Home Media 4-pack (only place I have seen that in the wild.)

It was weirder to see all the Halloween stuff hanging around after Thanksgiving!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on February 11, 2019, 12:05 PM
Check out this article that ran in Business Insider today:

Toys R Us is rising from the dead (https://www.businessinsider.com/toys-r-us-is-back-2019-2)


-Toys R Us is back in action.
-The newly founded company Tru Kids Inc. on Monday announced its intent to resurrect the brand this year.
-The toy retailer closed all its US locations in the summer of 2018.

Toys R Us isn't ready to get banished to the island of misfit toys.

Months after the toy chain's demise, Tru Kids Inc. — also known as Tru Kids Brands — has gobbled up Toys R Us, Babies R Us, and their mascot, Geoffrey.

A statement from Tru Kids on Monday cited the former toy retailer's "brand power" and "loyalty," saying the Toys R Us and Babies R Us lines "generated over $3 billion in global retail sales in 2018 through more than 900 stores and e-commerce businesses."

Tru Kids was founded this year to salvage the retailer's still valuable brands. Richard Barry, the company's CEO and president, worked at Toys R Us for 33 years, rising to the rank of global chief merchandising officer.

"Despite unprecedented efforts to capture the US market share this past holiday season, there is still a significant gap and huge consumer demand for the trusted experience that Toys R Us and Babies R Us delivers," Barry said in the statement from Tru Kids.

The toy retailer's bankruptcy filing and subsequent store closures and layoffs sparked woes at toy makers like Hasbro and Mattel during the holiday season. But this isn't Toys R Us's first resurrection act. Speculation about a return swirled in October when its brand auction was canceled. And in November, Toy R Us reorganized and launched a series of pop-up events at Kroger.

The Tru Kids statement said the veteran Toys R Us executives Matthew Finigan, James Young, and Jean-Daniel Gatignol would also have leadership roles in the new company.

"We have an incredible team focused on bringing Toys R Us and Babies R Us back in a completely new and reimagined way, so the US doesn't have to go through another holiday without these beloved brands," Barry said.


Take this as you will.  It reads like a glorified press release.  I would wait for an announcement of store locations opening before getting truly excited about this news.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Matt_Fury on February 11, 2019, 12:31 PM
If they are able to get out from all the debt, revitalize the business model, this could be a really good thing.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Chris M on February 11, 2019, 01:38 PM
There are so many lessons to learn from what happened to TRU that never needed to.  Sales, competitive pricing, rotating inventory...so many things they need to think about.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on February 11, 2019, 02:00 PM
The larger issue is that brick and mortar retail is suffering in the age of online retail. It’s not just in one sector like toys.  This new chain needs to be ruthless in their inventory management, yes.  But they also need to make the stores experience destinations.

I actually had one mom and pop toy store near me that did pretty well.  One of their key offerings was for kids birthday parties.  Parents want things like that for kids, especially since so many kids are transfixed by their electronic devices.  Events are going to have to be a big part of the marketing plan if they don’t want to repeat history and have yet another toy chain in hock to some hedge fund that has no interest in the culture of the company.

However, the timing is interesting. Toy Fair starts this weekend. And if the brand is ready to relaunch, this weekend could be make or break for them to sign deals with the major manufacturers which could be crucial to them securing financing for the launch of new stores.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Muftak on April 11, 2019, 05:57 PM
I was at TRU with my kids today too. My 8-year old pointed out a flyer on the door that said "final 7 days" and we concurred that this would probably be our last time in the store.

Ours looked the same as yours. I took them up on a Scout Y-Wing (hadn't bought one yet) for $8, my sons got Lego tape for cheap and a knock-off Beyblade stadium for a buck, and there was not really much else we cared to look at.

The lines seemed long, but the service desk pulled us out of line to get rung up there. I guess as long as you didn't have a cartful you were okay...I saw an Amish family with two carts loaded with every Pixar "Cars" playset they had left (which must have been fifty or so.) Not sure if those are headed for a tourist gift shop or what, but the service desk was good about getting the people with just a couple things out the door.

That particular TRU has been my stomping grounds since it opened in 1989...I bought my first POTF2 figures there, fondly remember preordering my Nintendo64 there when that was a new and exciting option...and much more recently spending time hanging out in the "Thomas and Friends" aisle while the boys played with the train table. It will be missed.

The better part of a year has passed, and this past weekend my boys and I returned to the store...which has just reopened as an Ollie's. :(

It was kind of surreal. The place was just as packed as last June, and while the layout of the sections and aisles was different, Ollie's didn't bother to remove TRU's wall art and floor decals.

My oldest son commented that most of the toys in the toy aisle were the same ones we saw last year, too. I explained that Ollie's bought all the stuff that customer's didn't.

The lines were incredibly long, so I resolved that it was just a "looking" trip, but there was really nothing there that jumped out at us. The only Ollie's I had been to before were 20+ miles away from where we live, so at least we have one local now.

But we still really miss TRU.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on April 11, 2019, 06:16 PM
My local one in Chicago is an Ashley Home Store now... so depressing.

I went back home to Florida and the one I went to as a kid is still there and empty...
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on April 11, 2019, 08:41 PM
Of the three former locations that I pass by on a regular basis, only one space has been taken over and operating as a new chain.  And it's a Raymour & Flannigan furniture outlet.  Another location is set to become a Big Lots, and I'm not sure about the third.

I'm still wondering how things are going to play out with this so-called relaunch of the brand.  I thought we might hear something following Toy Fair in February, but there really hasn't been anything substantial.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on April 12, 2019, 04:46 PM
The shopping centers where TRUs were in my area are all pretty much dead. The one near my place had a Five Below that recently closed down, and a bunch of mattress stores that shuttered too. All that's left is Dave and Busters and a Bed Bath and Beyond. The other TRU shopping center across town isn't doing much better, as the Target in that center was closed down, as was the Best Buy, Office Max, and Pier One.

The TRU carts and signage are still all over the place, and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't considered taking one, but like... where would I put it?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jesse James on April 13, 2019, 08:47 PM
Ollie’s usually sucks just a heads up lol, but I was driving around to them buying ship 2-packs from the legacy line like they were going outta style.  Same with the Kmart stores that got those.  It was a good time, but not a typical Ollie’s stop by sure.  The store is generally a post apocalyptic hellscape.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on June 22, 2019, 11:17 AM
There appear to be some signs of life!  Toys 'R' Us plans to return in the United States (https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/06/21/business/toys-r-us-stores-comeback/index.html?fbclid=IwAR20E-pl4tPns3xipDdMMINfWrmcO_9SNLzn5xiBqtWBpULO1oKjOXLJAtk)

The article seems to indicate that the new store locations will be significantly smaller, possibly something that would work in a mall setting.  Starting with only two locations is notable because you've got to think that TruKids will launch very strategically and with locations that will give it some level of profile.

With the American Dream Mall set to open in East Rutherford, NJ some time later this year, I'm kind of wondering if they're considering that for a location?  It's going to be one of the two largest malls in the United States.  And it's also supposed to have a Nickelodeon Universe theme park, a concept that would lend itself heartily to a toy store.

The numbers are also interesting:  two stores for the launch.  The company that owns / is developing American Dream is also the company behind the Mall of America in Minnesota, which is on record as the biggest mall in the country and ALSO had a Nickelodeon Universe theme park.  And the Mall of America, which is pretty well known nationally, would make for a solid second location.

All of this, combined with the New Jersey location being close to Paramus, NJ (the highest grossing town for retailers in the United States) gives me a some degree of hope that these could be the places where TruKids relaunches.  Depending on how these test locations perform, it could have significant impact on the rollout for the rest of the chain.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on July 19, 2019, 03:35 PM
The first two locations for the reborn Toys R Us in the U.S. have been announced (https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/18/business/toys-r-us-new-stores/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1AjXWdVHMxafnDhKOVtpaYCi9MbfbjuBT4Ug4pjdw4GCRLqdED-_RHeCI).  And I was on point about the general vicinity of one of them, which will be in Paramus, NJ (about 5 miles from where I predicted).  The other location will be in Houston, TX.  They're set to open in time for the holiday season this year, and more stores are reportedly in the works for 2020.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Scockery on July 22, 2019, 01:24 PM
Live, Dinosaur, Live?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on July 22, 2019, 01:58 PM
It sounds like it’s going to be a leaner and more efficient dinosaur....
Or so the theory goes.  I’m curious to see how quickly they add more locations.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Phrubruh on July 24, 2019, 11:27 AM
So TRU is turning into an Apple store?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on October 8, 2019, 10:16 AM
You’ll be able to shop at Toys R Us online again — thanks to a little help from Target. (https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/08/target-is-going-to-power-toys-r-us-new-website.html)

In the last year Target has partnered with EE, Disney, and now TRU Kids all in an effort to strengthen their toy segment (across kids and adult collector markets).
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on October 8, 2019, 10:44 AM
The NJ location has a hiring event in the next week.  I suspect they're going to be up and running some time next month.  And while I thought they were going to be called TRU Kids, they're keeping the brand name as Toys R Us.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on November 1, 2019, 12:08 PM
The two announced store locations are set to open this month.  No word on an official date yet.

Also in the news:  Toys R Us Adventure Land (https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/10/25/toysrus-returns-new-adventure-play-lands-website-stores/2457237001/?fbclid=IwAR1LBBiTNHpr-FTBESAzA97nR0FqOnegMuiWqKwvI63CUipz31otUsXp9Rc).  One of these locations has already opened in Chicago.  It's clearly going to be focused on experiences.

And ToysRUs.com (https://www.toysrus.com/shop-by-category/action-figures-and-playsets/action-figures/) has already re-launched.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Rob on November 1, 2019, 07:29 PM
The Chicago one is a few blocks from my office.  I walk by it all the time.  When they started putting the signage up I got all excited thinking it was a Michigan Ave. store location for the holidays...

Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on November 27, 2019, 10:22 AM
The first store is set to open this Saturday in Paramus, NJ.  The second will open in Houston, TX next month.  And some 20 stores are projected to open across the U.S. by the end of 2020.

I had thought that they might do a soft opening some time this week, but I haven't heard anything to that effect.  And the fact that they're opening the day AFTER Black Friday seems like they might have hit at least a couple of stumbling blocks with launching the new stores.

CNBC - Toys R Us is back. Here’s a look inside its first new store (https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/27/toys-r-us-is-back-heres-a-look-inside-its-first-new-store.html)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jedi Idej on November 27, 2019, 06:37 PM
I'll be in Houston early December and expected it open by then based on articles I read earlier. Even though it's nowhere near the size of what a typical TRU was, it still would be fun to see.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on November 27, 2019, 07:58 PM
I’d rather go visit a real one up in Canada.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on December 2, 2019, 09:15 AM
So I went to the new store in NJ on opening day.  Quick thoughts?

It's VERY different from previous TRU stores.
-No rows upon rows of shelving
-Very experience oriented - toy demos, photo ops, play areas, costumed characters (Paw Patrol, Super Mario & Geoffrey the Giraffe were all on hand)
-Hasbro Star Wars stock was limited - a fair amount of role play (lightsabers, masks), a fair representation from Galaxy of Adventures and only a handful of TVC and TBS figures
-About a 4' section of LEGO Star Wars

Surprisingly?  ZERO Marvel Legends.  Not sure if I even saw any Transformers.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Muftak on December 2, 2019, 09:59 AM
That's great that you got to go check it out, thanks for giving us the lowdown from a collector's perspective. From the descriptions I have heard it sounds a lot like the Toy City pop-ups from last year as far as available stuff. I guess there is only so much stock you can get your hands on in a low-volume situation like that, even with a Toy Fair presence. I know when I was working for Little Tikes the big guys' orders always took precedent over the little ones. Funny how TrU is now the little guy.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on December 2, 2019, 10:17 AM
I had no excuse not going, especially since this store is about 10 miles from my home.  This store was WAY more kid-centric than collector oriented.  The Toy City pop-ups were more like the old TRU Express if I was to compare them.

Images HERE (https://twitter.com/thisisnocavesw/status/1201146815648796673?s=20) and HERE (https://twitter.com/thisisnocavesw/status/1200992707705024513?s=20)
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on December 2, 2019, 04:24 PM
So not much different from a typical Target aisle. Interesting
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on December 2, 2019, 06:06 PM
So not much different from a typical Target aisle. Interesting

In terms of the inventory?  Yeah.

I actually went into the GameStop that's in this same mall (just a few minutes after visiting TRU) and was struck by just how much more Black Series stock GS had on hand compared to TRU, including exclusives and new figures like Jannah.  But GameStop hasn't exactly been a reliable destination for the Vintage Collection.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on March 18, 2021, 10:31 AM
So the two TRU locations that had been opened in late 2019 have closed.  One was located in Houston, TX and the other in Paramus, NJ.  The Paramus location being local to me, I went there a number of times.  In fact, it was the one location where I was able to find decent quantities of Vintage Collection figures at brick & mortar retail.  But opening retail stores a few months before a global pandemic begins is bad timing at best.  I could see the writing on the wall a couple of months ago when they were clearancing everything.  The staff in the store told me that they were selling off old inventory and new stock would be coming in soon.  Maybe they said that because I had my kid with me.  But that location is now closed.

In the words of C-3PO, here we go again:

Toys R Us has a new owner that’s planning to open stores again in the U.S. (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/15/whp-global-takes-controlling-stake-in-toys-r-us-plans-to-open-stores.html)

-Brand management company WHP Global announced it has acquired a controlling interest in Tru Kids, the parent company of the Toys R Us and Babies R Us brands.
-Tru Kids bought the brands and intellectual property from Toys R Us after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2017.
-WHP plans to open a number of Toys R Us stores again in the U.S., ideally ahead of this holiday season.


Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 18, 2021, 11:26 AM
Why they never tried to compete in the online market place will always be a head-scratcher.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: McMetal on March 18, 2021, 04:59 PM
Those two stores were doomed to failure because they were just designed as half assed showrooms rather than actual toy stores. I don’t need an “interactive consumer experience” I just want to see a butt load of all kinds of different toys on the shelves how it used to be.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on August 20, 2021, 09:59 AM
Here's the latest take on things - TRU is coming back in 2022 in Macy's locations as a "store within a store".

Toys 'R' Us is back ... again (https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/08/19/business/toys-r-us-macys-partnership/index.html)

Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dave on August 20, 2021, 10:18 AM
Here's the latest take on things - TRU is coming back in 2022 in Macy's locations as a "store within a store".

Toys 'R' Us is back ... again (https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/08/19/business/toys-r-us-macys-partnership/index.html)

Yawn.  Where are they going to get the toys?  If Target and Wal-Mart can't get toys, then how is some multi-bankrupt entity going to get toys from Hasbro?  All cash up front I'm sure.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on August 22, 2021, 11:45 AM
I did a little more reading on this.  The company that bought into TRU Kids has a controlling stake, and their guy is now the CEO of the company.  So there's been a distinct leadership change.

But the supply chain issues across a lot of retail are massive.  And maybe that's why they pushed the launch into 2022?

As for partnering with Macy's?  That chain seems to want a toy department during the holidays, but couldn't be bothered at other times.  Macy's has been closing stores.  And even if Macy's locations are mall anchor stores, the fact is that MALLS ARE DYING.  The only way I see this strategy really working is if they use it as a launching platform to reset the brand before seeking out their own store locations.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on August 23, 2021, 12:44 PM
Sounds like this will be similar to a Kohl's toy department at best.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dave on August 23, 2021, 01:23 PM
Adam Pawlus had a few comments (http://www.galactichunter.com/gh/story/qa-star-wars-battery-anxiety-super-rare-variants-and-color-matching) today on this at the end of his weekly Q&A:

*****

The articles state Macy's will be powering Toys R Us' web site, so it's going to boil down to if Macy's toy buyers decide to really invest in product now that someone cut the TRU brand a check to use their name. If you're hoping for towering aisles of bikes, dolls, LEGO, video games, and action figures, that's not happening. It's possible the web site may have some good stuff, but we're seeing more splits between "fan/collector" and "kid" sellers of products too, and I wouldn't bet on Macy's doing a big box-sized toy department.  I took the liberty of going to a Macy's on Saturday and they did have an interesting selection of stuff, but not a lot. They even had some Hasbro stuff that's new as of the last month, so it's nothing to sneeze at... but it's still not enough stuff to fill a decent small van. In other words, it's still better than JC Penney.

Macy's probably will never be a must-see toy stop visit for the action figure collector, but they did have a good chunk of the new Hasbro Ghostbusters stuff - I was happy to see it. When you're in a mall, take a look. (But also be aware there may be more than one section, upstairs I found a very sad section with 4-5 year old toys and Age of Extinction knock-offs while downstairs had some puzzles, Hasbro stuff, and things you would buy for kids who you actually like.) Happy hunting - it's rare we have a new place to scope out, so even though it isn't going to be as amazing as the real Toys R Us stores, it's certainly nice to have one more place to visit.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on August 24, 2021, 12:15 PM
Based on what I read in those comments, I don't think Adam quite grasps the business reality of this TRU shop within Macy's store concept.

TRU Kids was the company which emerged from the TRU bankruptcy.  It was basically a corporate re-organization - they emerged from the bankruptcy after liquidating inventory, auctioning off real estate, etc.  Some management there came from the original TRU corporation. They attempted to partner with Target to power their online sales platform and launched the two store locations plus some pop-ups.   But five months after they opened their first two stores in the United States the pandemic struck and they were among a significant number of retail casualties.

This newest incarnation has WHP Global taking over controlling interest in the TRU Kids company.  So what does that mean?  WHP Global is a company that looks for known brands that are in financial stress, but have wide name recognition.  They swooped in to take over the TRU brand after the old management screwed the pooch not once, but twice.  The CEO / Chairman of WHP Global will also be leading the TRU Kids company. That's a good development. Because the guy who was the head of TRU before the 2017 bankruptcy was also the CEO of FAO Schwarz before that toy store got run into the ground. Track records matter.  Will this new CEO be any better?  We'll see.

Based on the press releases so far, it sounds like a similar kind of store within a store model to what Target is doing with the Disney store.  The big questions seem to revolve around corporate management, inventory and staffing.  Will TRU have its own people within these stores, or are they going to be re-assigned Macy's staff?   That's a big question, especially if the long term strategy is for TRU to establish its own brick & mortar locations.  I personally think that they should look to establish smaller locations than the old stores, and in strip malls.  That's the way a lot of brick and mortar retail is moving, and less square footage = less overhead.

The current retail landscape is the elephant in the room.  Brick & mortar retailers are struggling and malls are dying.  And with the supply chain, pretty much every consumer goods sector has been impacted by the slowdown in international shipping because of the pandemic.  That's been readily apparent in the toy business. Getting product from manufacturers in Asia to their primary market countries has been challenging at best. The original launch target was for the 2021 holidays. I suspect that got moved back because of concerns about half stocked shelves could damage a relaunched TRU right out of the gate. Will the shipping situation improve by 2022? And will the new TRU business model fly? We'll see.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Matt_Fury on August 24, 2021, 12:19 PM
If they don't have a strong online presence, this will fail.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Dave on August 24, 2021, 12:22 PM
I just don't see how Macy's/TRU will have a toy department that is even half as good as Target/WM.

It'll be nice if there are other alternatives to our limited brick and mortar options today, but I don't think its realistic that this will be successful.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: JediJman on September 5, 2021, 11:37 PM
I just don't see how Macy's/TRU will have a toy department that is even half as good as Target/WM.

It'll be nice if there are other alternatives to our limited brick and mortar options today, but I don't think its realistic that this will be successful.

I don't know, I'm optimistic about this.  Target and Walmart are a wasteland for action figures these days, so at a minimum it can't hurt to have another vendor hopefully increasing the production run and orders.  And look at what Walgreens and Gamestop have been able to carve out with their own exclusives and fairly regular stock of Marvel and Star Wars figures.  Heck, even Kohl's was a must stop destination for a while there with some of the ROTS figures and exclusives. 

Retail is always cyclical if you wait long enough. When I was a kid, the Sears and JCPenny catalogs were the cream of the crop for action figures and toys and this doesn't feel too far removed from that.  Maybe just updated to online versus waiting for that big holiday book, but they might be able to build out some really cool partnerships.  It would be foolish to spend that money on the TRU brand and not do anything with it.  I think Macy's is feeling the pressure to get people back in their stores and there is a definite void in brick & more toys right now. This could be a strong play at trying to draw in more families and kids.  So while its not the TRU of old, I'm holding out hope for something relevant with this.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Diddly on September 8, 2021, 02:14 PM
I just don't see how Macy's/TRU will have a toy department that is even half as good as Target/WM.

It'll be nice if there are other alternatives to our limited brick and mortar options today, but I don't think its realistic that this will be successful.

Just stocking toys in general and having them on shelves available to purchase gives them the win over Walmart  :P
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on December 2, 2021, 07:36 AM
Here we go again...

Toys "R" Us is opening a new store ... again (https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/01/business/toys-r-us-new-store/index.html)

This location is close enough to me that I'm going to be checking it out pretty shortly after it opens.  I'm curious to see what it's going to be like.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Ryan on December 2, 2021, 03:29 PM
Everytime I see an old TRU location I still think fondly back on it. I hope this is successful (unlike the last time). Maybe they will have better luck with one big store like this. If this is successful it'd be cool to see them try to ad a few more, and keep this very limited in a few major market cities.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on December 17, 2021, 08:58 AM
The new flagship store held a preview event on Wednesday night (https://www.nj.com/news/2021/12/toys-r-us-is-opening-its-flagship-store-at-american-dream-we-got-a-sneak-peek.html).  They may be open as soon as tomorrow.

But then there are the Macy's locations that have been operating for at least the past couple of months.  Has anyone been checking these out?
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on December 17, 2021, 09:16 AM
But then there are the Macy's locations that have been operating for at least the past couple of months.  Has anyone been checking these out?

I took a peek at the toy section at a local Macy's a little while ago and it looked like a bomb went off. Stuff scattered all over the place.  Looked a lot like the toy section of TJ Maxx or Kohls.  Just a haphazard assortment of various toys in no particular arrangement.  I couldn't even tell you if they had any SW figures or not as I couldn't find a spot where it looked like action figures were supposed to be.
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Muftak on December 17, 2021, 09:48 AM
Our Macy's was like that also. Still a lit of current Hasbro in the mix, I saw new Transformers and Spiderman stuff, but no Star Wars. The interesting thing I noticed on a trip last weekend was all the Toys r Us signage that was there when they set it up is now gone, replaced with some generic Christmas signs instead. I guess that partnership ended fast!
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Jeff on November 8, 2023, 11:50 AM
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/it-looks-as-though-toys-r-us-will-open-at-the-mall-of-america

TRU coming to Mall of America?  We usually hit MOA once or twice during the holiday shopping season so I'll have to check it out once it opens...  I think my last visit to a TRU store was in Hamilton, Ontario in 2018 (https://twitter.com/JediDefender/status/1031584197088092162).
Title: Re: Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)
Post by: Nicklab on November 9, 2023, 11:25 AM
The so called “flagship store” in New Jersey has been nothing but a disappointment.  It’s like a high priced Ollie’s.  I took these photos close to a year ago, and very little has changed since then. It’s a joke.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoQzw8lMZgR/?igshid=YjVjNjZkNmFjNg==