NEW JERSEY — Toys R Us is opening 120 new standalone stores nationwide this holiday season, bringing its U.S. store count to 160, the company announced in a recent media release.
The expansion is being carried out in partnership with Go! Retail Group and will add to the brand's existing footprint of 40 standalone stores and Toys R Us shops inside Macy's locations nationwide.
The Mall at Short Hills in Millburn has been named as a confirmed New Jersey site for the expansion, according to VINnews. Toys R Us has not released a full list of the 120 new locations.
Toys R Us' existing flagship store at American Dream in East Rutherford is also one of five stores nationwide getting a new "Creator Studio" — a dedicated space for influencers, creators and toy brands to film product reveals and host launches — according to Forbes. The American Dream store, a 20,000-square-foot location featuring a café, ice cream parlor and two-story slide, opened in 2021, according to WHP Global.
"This is a major moment for Toys R Us as we significantly expand our presence across the United States," Jamie Uitdenhowen, executive vice president of Toys R Us at WHP Global, said in the release. "Together with our incredible partners, we are growing Toys R Us in unique ways to meet customers wherever they are, whether that's at a standalone store in their hometown, inside Macy's, at the airport or at a Navy Exchange."
The new stores will carry toys, collectibles and gifts from brands including LEGO, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Pokémon and "KPop Demon Hunters," according to Toys R Us. Select locations will also include candy shops and cafés.
Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy in 2018, eventually closing all of its U.S. locations amid slumping sales and roughly $5 billion in debt. WHP Global acquired a controlling stake in the brand in 2021 and has since rebuilt its physical presence through standalone stores and a partnership bringing Toys R Us shops to Macy's locations nationwide.
The bankruptcy filing came amid slumping sales and mounting debt, which grew to about $5 billion. The chain has faced increasing competition from Amazon, Walmart, and Target.
The comeback can be explained in two ways. First and perhaps most obviously, the Toys R Us brand survived the U.S. bankruptcy. Stores in other countries continued. Their acquisition by Go Retail Group and a wide variety of partnerships, like those with, Macy's have allowed them to rebuild profit.
Secondly, they are not the same Toys R Us store that a decade ago could not compete with Amazon's convenience or Walmart's and Target's prices. As the in-person shopping experience has become something of a novelty, they've focused on the physical aspect, rarer collectibles, specific fandoms, hotly anticipated product launches, and other unique in-person events.
Here are some current New Jersey locations:
(With reporting from Justin Heinze)
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