The Toys R Us comeback is getting much bigger this holiday season. The iconic toy retailer plans to open 120 new standalone stores across the United States, marking its largest expansion in years.
The new stores are being launched through a partnership with Go! Retail Group. Once the expansion is complete, Toys R Us expects to have around 160 standalone stores across the country.
The move is important for a brand that once disappeared from American shopping centers. Toys R Us closed its remaining US stores in 2018 after filing for bankruptcy protection in 2017.
What Will the New Toys R Us Stores Offer?
The new locations will focus on toys, collectibles and gifts from popular brands. Customers can expect products connected to names such as LEGO, Barbie, Hot Wheels and Pokémon. The retailer also plans to offer merchandise related to entertainment properties, including KPop Demon Hunters.
Some stores will have more than traditional toy shelves. Select locations are expected to include candy shops, cafés and Creator Studios. These spaces can be used by influencers and toy companies for content creation and product launches.
However, Toys R Us has not yet announced the complete list of store locations or opening dates. It also has not confirmed whether every new store will remain open after the holiday season.
How Toys R Us Is Rebuilding Its Retail Business
The comeback has taken several years and has included different types of retail locations.
| Period | Major Development |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Toys R Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy |
| 2018 | Remaining US stores were closed |
| 2019 | Smaller stores opened in New Jersey and Texas |
| 2021 | WHP Global acquired a controlling stake |
| 2022 | Toys R Us shops expanded inside Macy’s stores |
| 2023 | Partnership with Go! Retail Group expanded the store strategy |
| 2026 | 120 new standalone stores planned |
The retailer first tested its return with smaller stores in Paramus, New Jersey, and Houston, Texas, in late 2019. Both locations closed in January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHP Global later acquired a controlling stake in Toys R Us in 2021. The company opened a large flagship store at the American Dream complex in New Jersey later that year.
The brand gained additional momentum through its partnership with Macy’s. Hundreds of Toys R Us shops opened inside Macy’s stores in 2022, giving the toy retailer another way to reach shoppers without relying only on large standalone stores.
A Bigger Toys R Us Comeback
Toys R Us is now using several retail formats, including standalone stores, Macy’s shop-in-shop locations, airport stores and Navy Exchange locations.
The company has also expanded into airports. An Orlando International Airport location opened in August, while another store is planned for summer 2027.
Globally, Toys R Us says its business generates more than $2 billion in annual retail sales through more than 1,680 stores and e-commerce operations across 37 countries.
The latest expansion shows that the Toys R Us name is once again becoming a bigger part of the US retail landscape, especially as the holiday shopping season approaches.