Toys R Us is taking another shot at opening up a store in the United States after its comeback plans were thwarted earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The toy retailer’s parent company, WHP Global, a frum-owned company, said Wednesday that it will open a two-level, 20,000-square-foot Toys R Us location at the American Dream megamall in New Jersey in the middle of this month, which will operate on extended hours for the remainder of the holiday season.
In addition to a variety of toy brands and gaming merchandise, WHP said the location will offer experiences for kids, including a two-story slide. It will also have a cafe and ice cream shop. The store will be located nearby the Nickelodeon Universe theme park and DreamWorks water park at the American Dream, adding it to a slate of experiential offerings at the property, which are in a separate wing from the retail stores.
The announcement comes after WHP relaunched Toys R Us’ website though a partnership with Macy’s in August. It’s also on track to open over 400 Toys R Us shop-in-shops in Macy’s department stores beginning next year.
In January, the last two remaining Toys R Us stores in the U.S. closed as shopper visits to malls dropped off during the health crisis. WHP came into the picture in March, when it acquired the toy brand and vowed it would be reopening elsewhere in the future.
The store opening at the American Dream mall is timed at the tail-end of the holiday shopping season, so Toys R Us already has missed the early rush of shoppers buying presents. But the location could become a destination for procrastinators finishing off their gift buying. It could also appeal to parents looking for an activity to do with their children over winter breaks from school.
“Families will come to visit because American Dream is a destination for the day,” said Yehuda Shmidman, founder of WHP. “We believe that this will be a critical tourist stop for every family visiting the New York area.” Read more at CNBC.
{Matzav.com}
Earlier this summer, the iconic American toy store Toys R Us closed almost all 800 of its stores. The brand was deep in debt and had filed for bankruptcy in September 2017. … After it filed for bankruptcy in 2017, the company initially had plans to reorganize so it could shed debt and stay in business.
Oct 3, 2018
Not clear what’s happening here.
Obviously this frum owned corporation bought the name…