Toys R Us is plotting a daring comeback within the U.S., because it plans to develop its brick-and-mortar presence with as many as 24 new flagship shops and a separate rollout at airports and on cruise ships beginning this vacation season.
The toy retailer’s father or mother firm, WHP World, introduced what it referred to as the “Air, Land and Sea” enlargement on Friday. Toys R Us goals to start out opening the as much as two dozen flagship shops as early as subsequent 12 months in partnership with Go! Retail Group. The corporate plans to roll out the places in “prime cities” that complement its present retail footprint, WHP mentioned.
The primary airport retailer is ready to open in November, in time for the vacation season, in Terminal A of Dallas Fort Value Worldwide Airport, the world’s second busiest airport.
“The Toys R Us model is rising quick and our enlargement into air, land and sea is a testomony to the model’s energy,” mentioned Yehuda Shmidman, chairman and CEO of WHP, in an announcement.
The enlargement plan continues a gradual revival of the as soon as ubiquitous model.
Toys R Us filed for chapter in 2017, although it couldn’t come out of it by itself, pushing it into liquidation. WHP acquired a controlling curiosity in Toys R Us’ father or mother firm, Tru Youngsters, in 2021. The corporate deliberate to open extra Toys R Us shops throughout the nation, after the the model’s solely remaining two places within the U.S. closed earlier in 2021.
On the time, Shmidman mentioned he hoped to open a mixture of flagship, pop-up and airport shops because the nation emerged right into a post-Covid retail panorama. In the summertime of 2021, WHP World introduced a rollout of greater than 400 new Toys R Us shops at Macy’s places across the nation.
In a Friday assertion, Shmidman mentioned the corporate has elevated Toys R Us’ international footprint by greater than 50% for the reason that acquisition, with over 1,400 shops and e-commerce websites throughout 31 nations.
A type of shops is its present flagship two-level retailer on the American Dream megamall in New Jersey. The 20,000-square-foot location contains experiences for youths like a two-story slide and café and ice cream store.
WHP informed CNBC the brand new flagship shops will probably be modeled after the American Dream location with “immersive” buying experiences. However the New Jersey retailer will possible stay the biggest location.
The enlargement additionally will deliver shops to airports and cruise traces as the corporate seems to be to maintain up with the rise of journey retail. The primary-of-its-kind retailer on the Dallas airport, in a partnership with Obligation Free Americas, will enable prospects to buy their favourite toys and regional merchandise earlier than hopping on a flight, and the corporate additionally plans to supply a spread of toys and cruise-themed merchandise for that business.
The Toys R Us model generates greater than $2 billion in international retail gross sales yearly, WHP mentioned.
