Toys R Us Partnering with Macys

[LA Times]

www.cnn.com/2021/08/19/business/toys-r-us-macys-partnership/index.html

They will be doing the store-within-a-store thing with 400 Macys locations, just like what they did in the holiday 2012 season and those Finish Line inside Macys stores right now. The MSRP for Mattel WWE Elites will probably be $20.99 by the time they open and collectors will complain about the price if they carry them.

[The Real Valbroski]

I can’t wait to harass a new generation of employees over Hulk Hogan figures.

[Mongo Bears]

..well if it’s gonna be in a mall, Macy’s at least usually has their own entrance.

[LA Times]

Aug 19, 2021 14:41:05 GMT -5 Mongo Bears said:

..well if it’s gonna be in a mall, Macy’s at least usually has their own entrance.

The rent is too damn high in the mall, even though theres lots of empty space.

[~*Young $ Money*~]

This is cool to see and I hope it ends ups working out but I think Macy’s was in financial trouble themselves

[Darkhawk]

Well at least it gives me something to look forward to whenever Im at the mall. Having no toy stores really sucks tbh, I miss KB Toys

[wrestlingfigs316]

Aug 31, 2021 19:16:00 GMT -5 Darkhawk said:

Well at least it gives me something to look forward to whenever Im at the mall. Having no toy stores really sucks tbh, I miss KB Toys

KB toys… so many good memories!!!

[TheHitmanKid]

The kid in me is jumping up and down!!!

[LA Times]

www.cnn.com/2021/12/01/business/toys-r-us-new-store/index.html

Toys R Us is opening a new store again, at the Dusty Rhodes Mall in East Rutherford NJ, just days before Christmas. The 2 stores that opened in late 2019 under different ownership closed earlier this year because of COVID-19 and their business model of selling floor space to toymakers probably didnt work out as expected.

[Ohtimate Wahriah]

This has been one of the most head scratching re-launches of all time.

What baffles me is this, I worked at TRU when they closed down, I was the orders manager at my location. Toys R Us was VERY profitable when they closed down. The only reason they went bankrupt was because they got bought out in the early 2000’s and loaded up with Bain Capitals debt. It wasn’t Toys R Us’s debt, they made money until the day they closed their doors.

So if the debt is gone now, why don’t they stop all this start and stop BS, and just re-open some stores…like legit stores. There is such a void in the market, it’s baffling that nobody has opened a Toy Store in the time TRU has been closed.

[oldschoolfool]

Seems like stories of TRU returning in the US has become a yearly thing.

[Scott!]

Dec 1, 2021 19:46:19 GMT -5 Ohtimate Wahriah said:

This has been one of the most head scratching re-launches of all time.

What baffles me is this, I worked at TRU when they closed down, I was the orders manager at my location. Toys R Us was VERY profitable when they closed down. The only reason they went bankrupt was because they got bought out in the early 2000’s and loaded up with Bain Capitals debt. It wasn’t Toys R Us’s debt, they made money until the day they closed their doors.

So if the debt is gone now, why don’t they stop all this start and stop BS, and just re-open some stores…like legit stores. There is such a void in the market, it’s baffling that nobody has opened a Toy Store in the time TRU has been closed.

It really is a double edged sword for me. I'm in the UK and we're quite blessed to have Smyths as our main source of WWE figures, as well as in Scotland having a few other smaller shops that carry them. It seems in the states that you guys rely on your what we would call "supermarkets" (Target, Walmart etc). The one thing I miss is that there's an abundance of second hand collectable shops you have spread around your country, we don't have that. I know that's not much consolation as some are overpriced, but I'd give anything to have some of the stores America has for choice and variety of lines.

I think if TRU as you say is still a majorly profitable company, cut the crap and get some stores open guys. We all miss it. There's nothing like walking into one and just spending an hour looking at all the options.

Hopefully this is gonna happen soon, but we shall see. Fingers crossed.

[Ohtimate Wahriah]

Dec 3, 2021 9:31:40 GMT -5 Scott! said:

Dec 1, 2021 19:46:19 GMT -5 Ohtimate Wahriah said:

This has been one of the most head scratching re-launches of all time.

What baffles me is this, I worked at TRU when they closed down, I was the orders manager at my location. Toys R Us was VERY profitable when they closed down. The only reason they went bankrupt was because they got bought out in the early 2000’s and loaded up with Bain Capitals debt. It wasn’t Toys R Us’s debt, they made money until the day they closed their doors.

So if the debt is gone now, why don’t they stop all this start and stop BS, and just re-open some stores…like legit stores. There is such a void in the market, it’s baffling that nobody has opened a Toy Store in the time TRU has been closed.

It really is a double edged sword for me. I'm in the UK and we're quite blessed to have Smyths as our main source of WWE figures, as well as in Scotland having a few other smaller shops that carry them. It seems in the states that you guys rely on your what we would call "supermarkets" (Target, Walmart etc). The one thing I miss is that there's an abundance of second hand collectable shops you have spread around your country, we don't have that. I know that's not much consolation as some are overpriced, but I'd give anything to have some of the stores America has for choice and variety of lines.

I think if TRU as you say is still a majorly profitable company, cut the crap and get some stores open guys. We all miss it. There's nothing like walking into one and just spending an hour looking at all the options.

Hopefully this is gonna happen soon, but we shall see. Fingers crossed.

Here’s the thing though. There are A LOT less of the mini shops than there use to be, let me tell you haha. 10 years ago, I had over 10 within driving distance….I’m down to 2. And once we lost Toys R Us, those other stores get exposed real fast. For example, when you can rely on TRU to get the new figures and that’s the bulk of your toy purchases, it’s great to waddle into the little shops or the Target/ Walmart toy isle and see if they have anything special. Once you are DEPENDING on those stores though, it’s not so good haha. TRU filled a bigger void than people thought because they were only a toy store, that was the focus.

I don’t understand how somebody ELSE hasn’t come along and opened a toy store, like, why haven’t the toy companies invested in stores or even mini stores? ANYTHING haha, I’d settle for a KB Toys. But yea, the little collectible shops use to be great in conjunction with a whale like Toys R Us, but even those…like I said, there are hardly any of those even left and the ones I have don’t get new stuff with any sort of consistency. I wish TRU would just come back, if for anything else, just to keep the toy market healthy.

[Scott!]

Dec 3, 2021 10:11:42 GMT -5 Ohtimate Wahriah said:

Here’s the thing though. There are A LOT less of the mini shops than there use to be, let me tell you haha. 10 years ago, I had over 10 within driving distance….I’m down to 2. And once we lost Toys R Us, those other stores get exposed real fast. For example, when you can rely on TRU to get the new figures and that’s the bulk of your toy purchases, it’s great to waddle into the little shops or the Target/ Walmart toy isle and see if they have anything special. Once you are DEPENDING on those stores though, it’s not so good haha. TRU filled a bigger void than people thought because they were only a toy store, that was the focus.

I don’t understand how somebody ELSE hasn’t come along and opened a toy store, like, why haven’t the toy companies invested in stores or even mini stores? ANYTHING haha, I’d settle for a KB Toys. But yea, the little collectible shops use to be great in conjunction with a whale like Toys R Us, but even those…like I said, there are hardly any of those even left and the ones I have don’t get new stuff with any sort of consistency. I wish TRU would just come back, if for anything else, just to keep the toy market healthy.

That's fair enough. You're right, when you do rely on those stores and big chains close it gives them free reign to up prices to compensate for being the "only show in town" so to speak. And when you are relying on those stores, there's no saying what stock they will actually get in. I agree with you as well in the fact that there's surely a company out there that can see the gap in the market and could take advantage of it. Seems like a missed opportunity.

[Ohtimate Wahriah]

Dec 3, 2021 10:48:00 GMT -5 Scott! said:

Dec 3, 2021 10:11:42 GMT -5 Ohtimate Wahriah said:

Here’s the thing though. There are A LOT less of the mini shops than there use to be, let me tell you haha. 10 years ago, I had over 10 within driving distance….I’m down to 2. And once we lost Toys R Us, those other stores get exposed real fast. For example, when you can rely on TRU to get the new figures and that’s the bulk of your toy purchases, it’s great to waddle into the little shops or the Target/ Walmart toy isle and see if they have anything special. Once you are DEPENDING on those stores though, it’s not so good haha. TRU filled a bigger void than people thought because they were only a toy store, that was the focus.

I don’t understand how somebody ELSE hasn’t come along and opened a toy store, like, why haven’t the toy companies invested in stores or even mini stores? ANYTHING haha, I’d settle for a KB Toys. But yea, the little collectible shops use to be great in conjunction with a whale like Toys R Us, but even those…like I said, there are hardly any of those even left and the ones I have don’t get new stuff with any sort of consistency. I wish TRU would just come back, if for anything else, just to keep the toy market healthy.

That's fair enough. You're right, when you do rely on those stores and big chains close it gives them free reign to up prices to compensate for being the "only show in town" so to speak. And when you are relying on those stores, there's no saying what stock they will actually get in. I agree with you as well in the fact that there's surely a company out there that can see the gap in the market and could take advantage of it. Seems like a missed opportunity.

And its also a main catalyst for all the scalping going on right now. TRU would put 2-3 sets of a series on shelves and more over the course of time. Target/ Walmart/ specialty shops are getting in literally 1 case at times, and when you can corner the market like that as a scalper and take all the stock off shelves for relatively cheap, that’s why scalping is out of control. and it blows my mind that I can find things AT ALL given the logistics that we have 2 Targets in the area, that means only 2 locals have these figs? haha, it’s crazyness. And then once the scalpers see that something is popular, or profitable, it never even makes it to the shelf because the employees are taking them. It’s such a broken system, it’s honestly amazing we find anything at all right now haha, I’m serious.

But yea, it’s a tremendous missed opportunity. As much as I loved going to TRU for figs, you have no idea how much business they made on car seats, bikes, power wheels. There isn’t a suitable replacement for those things. Babies R Us could have single handedly kept the TRU franchise afloat…it was busier each day than TRU was. It’s a void in the market for sure

[Grumpyoldman]

And it looks like New Jersey is getting a flagship.
nerdist.com/article/new-toys-r-us-store-opening-soon-in-new-jersey/

[Deleted]

As far as re-opening brick and mortar stores… remember, online retail has taken over still.

Better chance now, with shipping delays though. Assuming those products can even make it to shelves.

[J'Dinkalage Morgoone]

Dec 3, 2021 11:56:13 GMT -5 Grumpyoldman said:

And it looks like New Jersey is getting a flagship.
nerdist.com/article/new-toys-r-us-store-opening-soon-in-new-jersey/

Sounds amazing, too bad im no where near the northeast lol

[PJ]

Dec 3, 2021 12:53:29 GMT -5 J'Dinkalage Morgoone said:

Dec 3, 2021 11:56:13 GMT -5 Grumpyoldman said:

And it looks like New Jersey is getting a flagship.
nerdist.com/article/new-toys-r-us-store-opening-soon-in-new-jersey/

Sounds amazing, too bad im no where near the northeast lol

My wife actually wants us to drive down to the American Dream mall this morning. I told here bring some water bottles & snacks because we are camping out. We’ll be first in line for when they open later this month!

[Ohtimate Wahriah]

The more online retail takes over though, the greater need for brick and mortar will get. The seesaw goes up and down, if everybody is shopping online, it’ll be desirable to just have a local toy store again….same principles as to why they had them in every town in the first place. Convenience and access