Toys R Us prepping 120 standalone stores

It’s a Holiday blitz for Toys R Us, as the resurgent brand looks to bring back a major retail presence, with 120 new stores.

The Toys R Us time of year

It’s been a long road for Toys R Us. Nevertheless, the world’s biggest toy store continues to limb back into brick and mortar here in the US. That wasn’t always a given. Far from it actually. If you haven’t been following along though, the chain vanished in some of the biggest global markets back in 2018. And yes, that included in its original home, the United States.

From that period forward, it’s been what we can only call an odd series of events. A continued evolution that has seen more than one fresh incarnation of the brand. The comeback kicked into high gear in 2023 however, which saw the store spinoff from what was a home in some Macy’s stores. And that led to it branching out, back into actual standalone locations. But hang on, because just in late last week came word that fans can look for even more.

Toys R Us, partnering with Go! Retail Group, has taken the wraps off of what’s being called a major US expansion. Judging by the numbers, we’d have to agree. The retailer says that it’s set to bring a whopping 120 new retail stores to life, opening by this Holiday Season.

To give you some point of reference, right now there are only 40 of them. Yeah, that’s some huge growth.

“This is a major moment for Toys”R”Us as we significantly expand our presence across the United States,” said Jamie Uitdenhowen, Executive Vice President of Toys”R”Us at WHP Global. “Together with our incredible partners, we are growing Toys”R”Us in unique ways to meet customers wherever they are, whether that’s at a standalone store in their hometown, inside Macy’s, at the airport or at a Navy Exchange. Toys”R”Us has always been a place for discovery, and we’re building on that legacy by bringing customers the hottest toys, biggest trends and experiences that make the brand unlike any other.”

Toys R Us press release

Curated fun

So, what will these new stores include? Well, from the sound of it, they won’t be exactly like the TRU‘s of old, but they’ll be along the same lines. To that end, Toys R Us stores “will feature a curated assortment of the season’s hottest toys”.

Expect to see stuff from the likes of “LEGO^®, Barbie^®, Hot Wheels^®, Pokémon, KPop Demon Hunters, and more.” Don’t see your favorite line mentioned there? Well, don’t lose hope of it not being in the stores, as the press release makes a special note of saying that the new shops will be a destination for “kids, gift-givers, collectors and fans of all ages”.

With that, we have a feeling that the contents of Toys R Us‘ new shops will be pretty broad ranging. Not that we have confirmation of that, but the language seems to lean towards them being a location aimed at every category of toy-buyers. Our fingers are crossed that that’ll be the case anyway.

While we’re on the subject of contents too, it also sounds like the stores won’t be just toys.

More in store

Along with the stock mentioned above, each store will have additional features that we’re pretty sure have never been seen in a TRU before. The biggest and most interesting of those, look to be Creator Studios. If you’re wondering that those might be, they sound like mini-event spaces.

Something altogether new, Creator Studios will be “dedicated spaces where influencers, creators and toy brands can create content, unveil new products and host toy reveals, launches and special events.” So will we be seeing a flow of in-store toy reveals and live influencer spots? Sounds like it.

That’s also just the start for some TRU stores. According to the company, some stores will come complete with something for shoppers’ stomaches. Patrons will find both candy shops and cafe’s included in the mix, though for “select locations” only.

“This holiday season represents an extraordinary expansion for Toys”R”Us in the U.S., and we couldn’t be more excited to bring the magic of Toys”R”Us to so many communities across the country,” said Gideon Schlessinger, CEO of Go! Retail Group. “There’s something special about walking into a Toys”R”Us store, especially during the holidays—the excitement of discovering the hottest toys, seeing favorite brands and characters come to life, and finding that perfect gift. With 160 stores open this season, we have an incredible opportunity to bring that experience to millions of customers and create destinations they’ll want to come back to throughout the year.”

Toys R Us press release

Coming soon

Not to temper enthusiasm, but as of right now, we don’t have a lot to tell you about just where the new stores will be opening. We assume that’ll come in the weeks ahead, but for now, make sure to check out the store locator here, and follow @ToysRUs on social media.

It’s also worth mentioning that there’s more on tap than just the standalone shops. The biggest rival there, is that TRU will be opening the doors on a new location at Orlando International Airport (MCO). That’ll be in partnership with WHSmith North America, and will be cutting the ribbon some time in the Sumer of 2027.

On top of that, it sounds like additional standalone Toys R Us stores, the Macy’s locations, and shop-in-shops with the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM), will all be sticking around too. That’s a heck of a footprint, and one that we hope keeps getting bigger.