We’ll never grow up. Millennials, Gen X’ers, and Boomers alike all mourned the death of the beloved toy store of our childhoods, Toys “R” Us, when it announced it would be shuttering all of its doors in 2018.
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But now, thanks to a partnership with fellow once-struggling retailer Macy’s, the iconic toy store is making a comeback.
Macy’s announced that it will be bringing back Toys “R” Us storefronts inside of every Macy’s store in the U.S., ranging in size from 1,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet.
The new toy stores will begin popping up in late July and will be completed by October 15, with the largest buildouts located in flagship Macy’s locations, such as New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. For the holiday season, some Toys “R” Us stores are expected to expand from 500 to 3,000 square feet to accommodate a large selection of toys.
“Macy’s cannot wait to bring the Toys “R” Us experience to life in our stores,” said Nata Dvir, Macy’s chief merchandising officer in a company release. “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 customer response to our partnership with Toys “R” Us has been incredible and our toy business has seen tremendous growth.”
Last summer, Macy’s adding Toys “R” Us products to its website. Now, they’ll have brick-and-mortar shelving space.
The iconic toy retailer filed for bankruptcy in September 2017 and closed its final store in January 2021. The company was in business for around 70 years and had around 735 stores (including Babies “R” Us stores) remaining upon its final closures.
“Thanks to each of you who shared your amazing journey to (and through) parenthood with us,” the company penned to customers amid the news that it would be shutting doors for good, “Promise us just this one thing: Don’t ever grow up. Play on!”
It looks like the day has finally come to continue playing on.
Macy’s, which is set to benefit amid the surge in holiday shopping, was up around 4% in a one-day period as of late Tuesday afternoon.
