Following revamps in Australia and Canada that we first revealed on these pages after the turbulent 2018 international decline of Toys R Us, Geoffrey’s resurrection tour continues stateside today with the relaunch of the store’s website powered by Target. This partnership extends to two retail stores opening in Houston, TX and Paramus, NJ later this year.
“Our U.S. strategy is to bring back the Toys“R”Us brand in a modern way through a strong experiential and content-rich omnichannel concept,” said Richard Barry, CEO of Tru Kids. “The foundation of that strategy requires the help of a retail industry leader and Target is the ideal retailer to support a new Toys“R”Us shopping experience, which is designed to provide families with endless ways to discover, play and enjoy toys. Target will help us deliver on that experience with its toy assortment, digital strength and ability to deliver orders to shoppers in a matter of hours.”
What do you think of this unique team emerging just in time for the holiday season? Will what is so far a very small online selection of Transformers increase by that time? Check out the full press release here, then sound off on the 2005 boards!
AzT
Is the Toys R Us brand planning to go into the theme park business? –
SPLIT LIP
I'm inclined to agree. They're thriving up here in Canada, even after repeated lockdowns and delays in new stock.
butheadimus prime
I fully believe if Toys r us had made it to the Pandemic they would have survived. The demand on toys and collectibles was nuts.
SPLIT LIP
But still not anywhere close to the number of new-mould parts for regular toys.
Doesn't change the fact that bricks are produced in incredible quantities compared to other toy parts, and there's a fraction of the labour involved getting them from mould to packaging. Nothing I said implied Lego bricks weren't high quality, but it's still just plastic injection moulding, and on a huge scale which reduces relative costs. A single Lego mould can produce a huge number of parts for dozens of sets where a single TF mould produces few parts for only one Transformer, for example. And again, said Lego moulds are reused for years, decades even, whereas Transformers have an obligation for a certain number of toys to be new each year.
RKillian
You've got the order wrong there. Let them get both feet far into the property and _then_ burn it to the ground.
Diamondback
Hey, us Jurassic peeps are getting it up the wrong 'un too… a stabilizing TRU would have meant more pressure to keep Target and Walmart honest, at least until the large-scale lockdowns of last year.
Fafnir72
Diamondback
You have to admit, being shut out of the e-commerce revolution for 5-10 years was a pretty nasty kneecapping. Even now, one of Amazon's favorite tricks is "give you a platform to sell your product, then if it takes off come out with their own knockoff version, undercut you and run you out of business."
I'm not sure even five years would've been enough to pump out the sinking ship, but it would have at least given some chance to show the creditors a return to stability. Stores would have been lost no matter what, but at least they might have been able to keep a core to rebuild around.
Fafnir72
Without BaneTRU would have had another 3 to 4 years to course correct as they had a great sum of funds yet. Bane bled them dry too early. Without funds how do you course correct?
AOEGalvatronRox
I’ll believe it when I see it. It feels like there’s been rumors of TRU reopening since 2019 or so. It is rather exciting. I hope, if they do come back, they’ll go back to the old TRU store that’s in my city. Interestingly, the TRU sign hasn’t even been taken down yet.
Diamondback
Not quite, Amazon welshing on the "Exclusive Toy Provider" deal was the crippling wound and Shitt Romney just administered the final deathblow.
Amazon Killed Toys 'R' Us – But Much More Dishonestly Than the Way You Think
If I owned a company, I would rather burn it to the ground than let so much as ONE Bain Capital foot on any of its properties. Better to liquidate everything and see what benefit I can get for investors/creditors, employees and myself than to let them do another Leveraged Buyout that transfers all the capital to them and leaves only a shell company so deep in a debt hole God Himself couldn't make enough money to dig it out.
Fafnir72
If that Netflix docu is actually accurate, Toys that made Us, Lego went into their own ups and down phase.
As for distribution issues, maybe TF fans are more "noisier" with boards like this hence our awareness?
And Bane Venture Capital totally killed TRU. 90% primary cause of its demise.
This latest incarnation is but a shadow of its old self. C19 ain't helping and try searching for the latest wackjob law on toystores in Kalifornia
it will make your head spin.
Gumblor Gimbles
Lego has very expensive manufacturing for each part, a Lego piece is extremely durable.
RKillian
Maybe back in 1985 but Lego produces far more unique parts now than they used to. Additionally the tolerances are in another league compared to toys that ship with sprue marks, visible seams, stress marks, and floppy joints. Lego doesn't seem to have anywhere near the distribution problems either; availability is like video games are and movies used to be.
SPLIT LIP
Pretty much this. The average Transformers toy is, typically, a 100% new sculpt. Lego literally mass-produces all parts and has a massive stock they draw from, with only a few new elements per set if even that. This means manufacturing costs are a fraction of other toys because production lines feed multiple products instead of just one, and there's very little labour involved compared to assembling a full toy.
butheadimus prime
No they perpetually shelf warm like everywhere I go. Some how Lego is #1 in the world. Maybe they sell better outside the US? Maybe Lego gouges and sells 200 dollar sets that cost 15 to make. IDK but what ever it is, it is working.
WishfulThinking
I think some of it is investment. Both of our malls had water features for some nice feng shui for your mall experience. In the early 90's, these features were pulled – but one mall was nicely renovated for its troubles while the other just had the fountains ripped out and replaced with seating. As purchasing habits changed, the nicer mall kept most of its stores while the other slowly lost its stores. You can blame newer ritzy outdoor malls but the nicer of the two indoor malls is still managing to stay alive while the other is near the brink of closing its doors…anchored only by JCPennys and a Dillard's Outlet Store.
RKillian
There are signs if you know what to look for. Sky high rental costs and lack of paying traffic are a fatal combination. Unfortunately, economics often involves politics so the rules would shut down many relevant points of discussion. But in general…jobs left, people left, and stores left.
Atomsk
Yeah there's no preventing it… but the brand also matters. I doubt Lego suffers the same supply/disto issues as Transformers.
Fallout
i cannot say i understand the appeal of tru returning from an adult standpoint. at best it's an awesome place for kids, at worst it was an out of the way stop for exclusives. i loathed tru exclusives because i don't have kids so instead of buying toys at [big box retailer] with the other shit i had to buy i had to go to a whole other store.