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Iconic brand that went bankrupt making comeback with new flagship store

The new store marks the latest effort to re-launch the brand that served children and parents for 70 years.

BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. — Editor's note: The video above is from February 2021 when Toys "R" Us closed two pop-up stores.

Toys "R" Us is making a brick-and-mortar comeback with a new two-story flagship store. WHP Global, the parent company of Toys "R" Us, said the 20,000 square foot store would open at American Dream, a mall in Bergen County, New Jersey, by mid-December. The announcement comes less than a year after two pop-up stores that were part of a re-launch effort shut down.

In addition to the branding and look kids and parents are used to from Toys "R" Us, the store will feature a cafe, ice cream parlor and a two-story slide.

"American Dream is a one-of-a-kind unrivaled retail center featuring massive entertainment experiences that make it an ideal destination for families," said Yehuda Shmidman, WHP Global and Toys "R" Us Chairman and CEO said in statement.

Credit: American Dream,WHP Global
An artist rendering of the new Toys "R" Us flagship store at American Dream in Bergen County, New Jersey.

Toys "R" Us is also planning shops inside more than 400 Macy's stores starting in 2022. It also opened a digital flagship store earlier this year.

Toys "R" Us was founded in 1948 as a baby goods and furniture store in Washington, D.C. called Children's Bargain Town, according to Business Insider. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and liquidated all its U.S. stores in 2018. Tens of thousands of workers lost their jobs at Toys "R" Us and despite having other avenues like Walmart or Target to sell their products, major toy manufacturers reportedly saw a steep decline in sales.

Toys "R" us opened two pop-up stores -- in Paramus, New Jersey and in Houston -- in 2019, but both closed earlier this year while the brand was under the control of Tru Kids, Inc. WHP Global bought it two months later.

More than 900 Toys "R" Us stores remain around the world in 25 countries, WHP Global said.

   

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