NEW YORK — Toys”R”Us is coming back from the dead in a big way.
WHP Global, parent company of Toys”R”Us, is opening a new two-story Toys”R”Us flagship store this month inside American Dream, the massive shopping center and entertainment complex at the Meadowlands in New Jersey located 15 minutes from Manhattan.
Designed for kids of all ages, the first U.S. Toys”R”Us flagship will feature a modern two-level retail store that spans 20,000 square feet. The flagship will be reminiscent of the beloved toy store customers know and love, as visitors can shop their favorite toy brands, meet Geoffrey the Giraffe, rediscover their love of play with interactive experiences and product demonstrations, and enjoy new branded elements like Geoffrey’s Café and ice cream parlor, two-story slide and more. Located within steps of Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park and DreamWorks Water Park, the new flagship is at the epicenter of American Dream’s premiere entertainment, shopping and dining experiences.
Toys”R”Us was once a publicly traded company with over 500 big-box stores nationwide, including a flagship store in Times Square. The chain filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and shuttered completely in 2019. WHP Global bought a controlling interest in TruKids, the company that now owns Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us brands, in April 2021.
WHP said that Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us generate over $2 billion in global retail sales annually through nearly 900 branded stores and ecommerce sites in over 25 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Middle East.
“American Dream is a one-of-a-kind unrivaled retail center featuring massive entertainment experiences that make it an ideal destination for families. Debuting our first Toys”R”Us flagship here is a no-brainer,” said Yehuda Shmidman, WHP Global and Toys”R”Us Chairman and CEO. “The Toy”R”Us brand is big and growing fast. Today we have over 900 stores and e-commerce sites operating across 25 countries outside the USA, and now our USA expansion plans are in high gear, propelling us into the next chapter of growth for our global brand.”
Opening mid-December, just in time for the 2021 holiday shopping season, the Toys”R”Us flagship at American Dream marks the return of the first standalone flagship store of the toy brand in the USA. This comes on the heels of Toys”R”Us opening its digital flagship store this year together with Macy’s and with over 400 Toys”R”Us shop-in-shops slated to open inside Macy’s stores nationwide starting in 2022.
“American Dream is a world-class destination with one-of-a-kind experiences and first-to-market entertainment/retail concepts, designed to delight a multi-generational audience,” said Don Ghermezian, CEO of American Dream. “Toys”R”Us sparks the same feeling of joy across multiple age groups. This powerful brand is the perfect addition to American Dream’s all-star lineup of entertainment properties and attractions. We’re thrilled to partner with WHP Global and Toys”R”Us to bring this project to life.”
