[Ickdeep]

I remember going to Toys R Us and getting some of kind of car related toy. But I understand why its closing, the other competition and especially Amazon it is hard for a company like this to survive. It needed to change with the technology era.

[jgoens]

Originally Posted by FlaPatsFan

I was just in Toys R Us near me about a month ago. It had been awhile since I frequented the store. I must say I was impressed with selection and prices. My wife and I found lots of stuff for our 7 month old. Way more then the big box usual suspects stores.

Wifey was really bummed they are closing. I am kinda also. Toys R Us is an iconic store.

Originally Posted by R3dliner

I remember as a kid the stores were always busy by me packed with people. If you wanted a game console or games that was the place to be.
Last month I went in there to buy some toys for my friends kid and it was a ghost town. Such a shame they never evolved to compete with the likes of amazon or walmart.

Yeah, I have noticed it to be not the busiest store in recent years--they are the latest victim to the changing online world. What longtime retailers will be next? JCPenny's, Sears and Best Buy? It gets to the point that people don't go to a store to shop--only test out for their online purchase.

One thing I read was that kids have become less focused on toys and more on tablets and phones. Now we have 7-year old kids with cell phones. What we lose is the imagination that comes with simply playing with action figures, dolls and legos. Little minds have less to think about and more to watch.

[uniqueMR]

Shocked to see many big businesses are filling for bankruptcy. Number 1 reason: too much DEBT.

[BayE30]

Originally Posted by jgoens

Kind of bummed to hear the news that the generational toy store will soon be liquidating and closing doors for good. I grew up going to this store and having an 8-year old son, I have been revisiting the store often the last several years.

Too bad that future generations will not be able to have the thrill of going to a big toy store with so much fun.

I also grew up going to ToysRus with my grandfather, many fond memories. But they have been closing stores for over 10yrs, theres no room for big mono-centric stores anymore, its all walmart and target nowadays. I even see Best Buy closing stores now, 2 local to me in the last 2 years.

[RickFLM4]

Retailers failing is nothing new. I remember numerous retailers that were around when I was a kid that no longer exist. Consumer and retail trends change over time. People once shopped in downtown shops or on Main Street. Then suburbs expanded and the shopping malls with department stores, along with discount stores killed off many downtown and Main Street shops. Then Walmart took discounting and supercenters to another level and killed off many retailers, including other discount stores. Same for Home Depot / Lowe's and hardware stores. Online shopping is just another wave of change. It is difficult for any retailer to survive long-term without constantly evolving to keep up with changing trends. Selling products that are not special and can be bought anywhere, combined with complacency, bad leases and over-leverage is a death sentence for retail.

[BuiltnBoostedZ]

I was a toys r us kid. You'd see the commercial and instantly start nagging your mom to go. First time I set foot in one was '81. Sad to see it go but they never evolved in a changing market. Just the way it goes.

[Alfisti]

How the fuck do they go broke? They have more selective than anyone and basically a monopoly on toys. Fair effort to to go break with that advantage.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

How the fuck do they go broke? They have more selective than anyone and basically a monopoly on toys. Fair effort to to go break with that advantage.

http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/15/news...ame/index.html

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

How the fuck do they go broke? They have more selective than anyone and basically a monopoly on toys. Fair effort to to go break with that advantage.

What ever advantage they may have had began disappearing years ago with the growth of Walmart, Target and ultimately Amazon. Times they are a changing...

[nyalpine90]

TARGET/WALMART toy section and selection is small compare to Toysrlost?

[upstatedoc]

should have seen this coming, my 5 year old wanted a specific WWE wrestler and the only place that had it was walmart

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by nyalpine90

TARGET/WALMART toy section and selection is small compare to Toysrlost?

This. It's not even close, they had the market cornered.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by nyalpine90

TARGET/WALMART toy section and selection is small compare to Toysrlost?

See article I linked above. Mattel and Hasbro sold more than 2x at Walmart as they did at Toys R Us. Target sold as many of their toys as Toys R Us. Walmart and Target have way way more traffic than Toys R Us because people are there every day to shop and they are everywhere. Plus Walmart discounted in a way Toys R Us couldn't match. Selection doesn't matter as much as convenience and price.

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

This. It's not even close, they had the market cornered.

The selection is basically unlimited on Amazon... Toys R Us did not have the market cornered.

[jgoens]

Originally Posted by nyalpine90

TARGET/WALMART toy section and selection is small compare to Toysrlost?

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

See article I linked above. Mattel and Hasbro sold more than 2x at Walmart as they did at Toys R Us. Target sold as many of their toys as Toys R Us. Walmart and Target have way way more traffic than Toys R Us because people are there every day to shop and they are everywhere. Plus Walmart discounted in a way Toys R Us couldn't match. Selection doesn't matter as much as convenience and price.

I have done quite a bit of my toy shopping (for my son) in recent years at Target as it is true it is convenient to pick up everything at one shop. I am wondering who will pick up the slack when Toys R Us is gone. Target might have to expand the toy section--gotta say it is one of the busier sections of the store and flat out crazy during the holidays.

When Mervyn's disappeared is was Kohl's and JCPenney's that filled in, but I don't see Penny's lasting more than a couple years.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by jgoens

I have done quite a bit of my toy shopping (for my son) in recent years at Target as it is true it is convenient to pick up everything at one shop. I am wondering who will pick up the slack when Toys R Us is gone. Target might have to expand the toy section--gotta say it is one of the busier sections of the store and flat out crazy during the holidays.

When Mervyn's disappeared is was Kohl's and JCPenney's that filled in, but I don't see Penny's lasting more than a couple years.

I think JCP, Sears and Kmart are toast. Just a matter of time.

I'd expect Walmart, Target and Amazon to pick up a lot of the Toys R Us business. There are probably some other toy retailers online that may enjoy a bump in business and expand. Even though Toys R Us failed, there is a pretty good chunk of business to pick up by other players. Walmart and Target could conceivably increase the toy departments around Christmas for expanded seasonal selections too.

When I was a kid, there was Child World and Toys R Us. The two of them probably put local mom and pop toy shops out of business before my time. I think Toys R Us put Child World out of business but not sure.

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I think JCP, Sears and Kmart are toast. Just a matter of time.

I'd expect Walmart, Target and Amazon to pick up a lot of the Toys R Us business. There are probably some other toy retailers online that may enjoy a bump in business and expand. Even though Toys R Us failed, there is a pretty good chunk of business to pick up by other players. Walmart and Target could conceivably increase the toy departments around Christmas for expanded seasonal selections too.

When I was a kid, there was Child World and Toys R Us. The two of them probably put local mom and pop toy shops out of business before my time. I think Toys R Us put Child World out of business but not sure.

Where I live Toys R Us is in the same parking lot as Target, it was a matter of time.

[jgoens]

Originally Posted by KenB925

Where I live Toys R Us is in the same parking lot as Target, it was a matter of time.

Yeah, your in the bay area where that is common. Which one are you referring to?

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I think JCP, Sears and Kmart are toast. Just a matter of time.

funny story, was out doing errands one weekend and decided I needed a couple things, fridge water filter and some ammo, went to sears first and they were out of business! Then went to gander mountain scratching my head and they were out of business too! Shows you how much I get out..

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

funny story, was out doing errands one weekend and decided I needed a couple things, fridge water filter and some ammo, went to sears first and they were out of business! Then went to gander mountain scratching my head and they were out of business too! Shows you how much I get out..

Sears still has appliances and that’s a good place to get them but they whored out Craftsman tools and who has bought clothes or jewelry at Sears in the last 30 years?

[Alfisti]

Just goin' to Sears to pick up Ammo .... god bless America, you guys crack me up.

[kscarrol]

'Murica!