Beloved toy retailer continues comeback with new California store as nostalgic shoppers rejoice

Toys “R” Us is reintroducing its iconic toy aisles to another American shopping center, fueling a resurgence in physical retail that has sparked widespread nostalgia among longtime fans.

A new location is planned for Northridge Fashion Center in California’s San Fernando Valley, joining an expanding network of Toys “R” Us stores opening nationwide following the chain’s historic U.S. closures.

While the mall’s website lists the brand as “Coming Soon,” the retailer’s own site currently showcases over 30 standalone and flagship locations across the country.

An official opening date for the Northridge store has yet to be disclosed.

Toys R Us and Babies R Us signage is displayed outside a retail location as shoppers walk through the parking lot. The retailer has continued rebuilding its brick-and-mortar presence since its 2017 bankruptcy and 2018 U.S. store closures. (RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

The announcement immediately resonated with longtime fans, many of whom urged the retailer to embrace its nostalgic roots and revive classic toys from decades past.

“They should create a retro toy section for us grown-ups who were kids so we can relive our childhood memories,” one commenter wrote on a local social media page dedicated to the San Fernando Valley. Another expressed excitement over the potential return of other beloved retailers, noting, “Now bring back JoAnn’s and Payless.”

A view of Macy’s Toys R Us July 11, 2022, in Jersey City, N.J. (Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy’s, Inc / Getty Images)

The Northridge opening marks the latest milestone in the brand’s prolonged effort to reclaim its status as a fixture of American childhood.

Once a dominant force in U.S. toy sales, the retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2017 after years of declining revenue and accumulating $5 billion in debt. It subsequently closed its domestic stores in 2018 before reemerging under new ownership by Tru Kids Brands in 2019.

In November 2019, Toys “R” Us launched a smaller-format, nearly 6,000-square-foot store at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, signaling its brick-and-mortar return. A second location was added at The Galleria in Houston, Texas, though both shuttered in January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Closing signs outside the Toys R Us store in Coventry, Britain, March 13, 2018. (Reuters/Hannah McKay / Reuters)

Following the acquisition of a controlling stake by brand management firm WHP Global in March 2021, the retailer intensified its efforts to rebuild its physical footprint.

Later that year, it opened a 20,000-square-foot flagship at American Dream in New Jersey. The comeback further expanded in 2022 with the introduction of hundreds of Toys “R” Us shops inside Macy’s locations nationwide.

“Macy’s cannot wait to bring the Toys R Us experience to life in our stores,” Macy’s Chief Merchandising Officer Nata Dvir said at the time. “We hope Toys R Us kids of all ages discover the joy of exploration and play within our shops and families create special memories together.” The partnership significantly boosted the department store’s toy division, with sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 reaching fifteen times the comparable period before the collaboration.

A classic Toys R Us store displays the iconic multicolored logo above its entrance. The toy retailer is expanding its brick-and-mortar presence in the U.S. years after shuttering its stores nationwide. (Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

The brand subsequently set its sights on an even broader expansion.

In 2023, WHP Global announced a partnership with Go! Retail Group to introduce additional flagship stores across the U.S. starting in 2024, utilizing a strategy dubbed “air, land and sea.” “The Toys R Us brand is growing fast and our expansion into air, land and sea is a testament to the brand’s strength,” said WHP Global Chairman and CEO Yehuda Shmidman. He added that the company had increased the brand’s global retail footprint by over 50% since the acquisition, encompassing more than 1,400 stores and e-commerce sites across 31 countries.

The retailer also ventured beyond traditional shopping centers, opening its first airport location at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and announcing plans for cruise ship shops.

The domestic expansion remains active, with the Toys “R” Us website currently listing over 30 standalone and flagship locations nationwide, supplementing its presence inside Macy’s stores.

The planned Northridge location reinforces that the retailer synonymous with generations of childhood wish lists is steadily rebuilding its physical footprint across the country. Fox News Digital reached out to Toys “R” Us and Northridge Fashion Center for comment.

Source link