Toys-R-Us closing! With an important question.

[trip]

Since everyone here is obviously old enough to remember the thrill of going to "the toy store". I fear we may all be the last to experience the great activity exclusively for the young.

 

I would like to take an informal survey. I know there is the questions thread but I hope we can discuss this issue here for a bit.

 

Did you have the wonderful experience of super large toy stores?

 

Does the closing of Toys-R-Us mark the last super large toy store in your area?

 

 

There is just something amazing about those stores. Sensory overload. The love and want of every toy. The smell... They were HUGE! Heaven to a 7 year old.

 

 

 

 

It would be a sad world if the next generation(s) of children don't get to experience the amazing wonder of a super huge toy store.

 

If it is true and big brick and mortar super toy stores are gone...you will have something to tell your grandchildren. You won't be able to even explain it and their little brains probably won't be able to conceive what you are rambling at them.

[Nico]

I was lucky enough to live the experience of entering a huge, really huge toy store as a kid. We couldn't afford much at the time, my parents had a lot of debts, but back in '06 they allowed me to start collecting Welly cars. I still have those, but most of them are either broken or with some parts missing. Here in my country we don't have Toys-R-Us, but we have a local chain named Zebra. The place I went as a kid is surprisingly still open and active, but now these days with the school starting they put schoolbags and other school supplies in showcase.

[Rhoda]

As well as Toys R Us closing over here in the UK, we're also losing Maplin, which is a major electronics chain. I don't know if they exist elsewhere, but it's a trend of retail stores just not being to keep up with online shopping I assume - I see no reason to visit a shop to buy cables (for example) when I can just get them brought to my door the next day for next to nothing. Having said that, I will miss having the opportunity to actually physically hold an item and decide if it's up to scratch. There's been many occasion where I've done just that, and ended up having my mind changed based on actually having a feel for what the item is like in my hands.

 

I digress though, yes, I do remember visiting Toys R Us when I was a kid. There were other toy stores too, with one in particular sparking the sense of wonder you described. It wasn't a Toys R Us, I don't actually remember what it was called, but it was fantastic. It wasn't particularly large, but there was little in the way of empty space. Everywhere you looked, there was something bright and eye-catching. They had toys stuck on the walls and stuff hanging from the ceiling, just daring you to look away from the shelves. Fortunately, there's another (larger) toy store in the same shopping centre which has just as much in the way of colourful, distracting products that make me forget about being an adult for about 40 seconds.

 

It's a shame, but the more I think about it, the more I'm unsure about the last time I actually went to Toys R Us to buy anything.

[Sanches]

Can't remember big toy stores in my childhood. All i wanted is some Lego.
I still got my Legos saved and they're lying dusty in boxes. So much memories...

Edited March 15, 2018 by Sanches

[mr quick]

This opens a huge as f*ck lot in my hometown, it'll be cool to see what opens up there.

 

Here's my short sob story from a less-than well-off family in a "nice" neighbourhood:

I remember the first time I went, it was with my childhood friend and neighbor's family after we'd been swimming. My family could never afford to buy anything there so it was better to never go. Anyway, I was pretty damn overwhelmed when we got in there. It was all the toys I'd seen on TV and in catalogs dropped in our mailbox. It was so surreal to be able to physically touch it and see it all in person.

 

This said of course, I don't mind it shutting down. Kids here are already so materialistically inclined, and it's not like there's an intrinsic need for plastic name-brand "as seen on TV" stuff. At the end of the day, I still had fun playing with building blocks. Especially Kapla, that sh*t was BOMB and definitely the most underrated wooden building plank toy for both kids and adults. All the toys they had in the Toys R Us store here was that stupid overstimulating plastic crap that breaks after one use and costs a million cos it says "Disney" right on it. I'm a much bigger fan of creative toys which encourage the user to find their own solutions like Lego, Technics, Kapla, and all that stuff.

 

If I somehow accidentally end up with a kid, I know for sure I'd wanna keep them away from those big toy stores. It's no good.

[trip]

I grew up with Kiddy City around here. It was huge. It was amazing.

 

@Nico, I hear you. I grew up poor which in a way made going to the toy store a tad extra special. You actually got to fondle those toys you knew you'd never own.

[Skyline_Mad]

Where i live in the UK our local large Toys R Us closed a week ago, i didn't go there much as a child but remember going there a few times in my teens with friends as it was connected to an ice skating rink and swimming pool, we mainly just went to look at what videogames were available and mess around with some toys lol. The Toys R Us ads at the end of the year were a sign it was officially Christmas, so i guess that's not a tradition anymore. Oh well, at least we still have the Coka Cola adverts.

 

Its not only a shame it's closing because of nostalgia, but because the multi story car park there was free (for 3 hours i think), and now that it's gone it means parking in the city center will be more difficult and expensive.

 

Although, Toys R Us was never as great of an experience as going to FAO Schwarz on Fifth Avenue NYC, i had the pleasure of going there around 2002, i don't really remember much, except how big the place was and how much Lego there was, I loved Lego when i was a kid so it was pretty exciting to go there. Shame i couldn't buy much as i was on holiday (Vacation) and couldn't afford much anyway.

[Hmmm nice bike]

I liked going to Toys-R-Us as a kid when it was my birthday, I'd get to pick something out for a reasonable price. Maybe it helped that my parents would always take me when they'd have time off on a weekday afternoon, so it was not usually crowded. The last time I had to go into a Toys-R-Us a few months ago to pick something up for a relative, I made the mistake of going on a Saturday evening and it was a f*cking madhouse. The store itself was kind of a dump, too. I still have good memories of the old days though, but I won't miss the recent experience.

[Not A Nice Person]

I say good riddance, Im upset about the closure of the ferris wheel in Times Square but Toys-R-Us wanted to keep their archaic way of business and this the result. Im sure future kids will live just fine without their dopamine receptors firing off by something as superficial as toys and a lot of you spoiled asses dont realize how selective and dumb that even is.

[chronic lumbago]

Who needs toys when you have ipods and tablets amirite?

[CluckinGuy69]

So sad that recently I read a news that all Toys-R-Us store were closed in United Kingdom entirely. Losing 3000 jobs while US closed 800 stores causes loses 33,000 jobs. I remember when I go to Toys-R-Us when I was a kid, My parents would always take me to Toys-R-Us every weekends. After I grew up, I passed through the Toys-R-Us store when I go to some shopping malls. Last time I went to Toys-R-Us store was Feb 25 2018 for Toy-hunting.

Edited March 16, 2018 by Ohhh123r

[Rhoda]

... future kids will live just fine without their dopamine receptors firing off by something as superficial as toys and a lot of you spoiled asses dont realize how selective and dumb that even is.

 

[feckyerlife]

I say good riddance, Im upset about the closure of the ferris wheel in Times Square but Toys-R-Us wanted to keep their archaic way of business and this the result. Im sure future kids will live just fine without their dopamine receptors firing off by something as superficial as toys and a lot of you spoiled asses dont realize how selective and dumb that even is.

i feel sorry for your kids

[KilnerLUFC]

I say good riddance, Im upset about the closure of the ferris wheel in Times Square but Toys-R-Us wanted to keep their archaic way of business and this the result. Im sure future kids will live just fine without their dopamine receptors firing off by something as superficial as toys and a lot of you spoiled asses dont realize how selective and dumb that even is.

 

Jeez, hope to God this is sarcasm at it's finest.

[Not A Nice Person]

 

I say good riddance, Im upset about the closure of the ferris wheel in Times Square but Toys-R-Us wanted to keep their archaic way of business and this the result. Im sure future kids will live just fine without their dopamine receptors firing off by something as superficial as toys and a lot of you spoiled asses dont realize how selective and dumb that even is.

i feel sorry for your kids

 

you're acting like there will even be toys in the future

[chronic lumbago]

I say good riddance, Im upset about the closure of the ferris wheel in Times Square but Toys-R-Us wanted to keep their archaic way of business and this the result. Im sure future kids will live just fine without their dopamine receptors firing off by something as superficial as toys and a lot of you spoiled asses dont realize how selective and dumb that even is.

Say NO to toys kids! You might as well sniff cocaine!

[Rhoda]

I'm not sure if you're being deliberately antagonistic for the sake of controversy, but toys have been around for literally thousands of years. Just because your cynicism narrows your views to the point you might as well be browsing the forum through a letterbox, it doesn't mean that toys will all of a sudden disappear. As long as there are children, there will be toys.

[D9fred95]

Never really got the chance. Nearest one while I was growing up was two hours away and we weren't traveling that long just to go to a toy store.

[Star-Lord]

Yeah trip that hit home hard. Ladies n Gents I'm originally from the Big Apple the city that never sleeps and to hear Toys R us is closing shop is hard to accept n really feeling old. As a kid my adopted Mom would take me there during the X-Mas holidays to shop around and even though she was too cheap to buy me anything, I was happy to be there. Picture a 60ft. Store filled with all the bells n whistles [Toys] I was in heaven. Very nostalgic for us older folks - I'm a Toy R Us Kid hands down. As I get older the world is getting smaller - Tupac

[trip]

[trip]

[...]something as superficial as toys[...]

Sure sure sure. You're just trying to be special for the extra attention, but I had to just slice out a quote to say something.

 

Toys are not superficial to a child.

[Big_Smiley]

It really sucked they couldn't find a new owner of this massive company that's been around almost forever. It's a shame to see all the chains closing. It's also the fact to blame the internet with websites such as Amazon, Ebay, etc... The company just had to go

 

It sucks to see them go out this way. I would shop at this store evey once in a while during holidays to buy gifs for my Cousins siblings evey once a few times back then. Guess I'll join the rest and start buying online.

 

But I guess that's becoming the norm these days? Kids back then would always have a favorite toy store to look up to. If your kid was doing grate with his/her grades or behavior some would reward them with a trip to the local toy store and pick out any toy they wanted no matter the cost. At least that's what an old friend of mine used to do with his kids. He mentioned to me at our local Toy'R Us on Christmas Eve. "You and me holmes, We didn't have this opportunity growing up where we were. I want her to be happy so she remembers I was there for her when our time arrives to go" That's real father right there man. So this store was something special. Sh*t changes i guess. Not eveyrhing from the past stays the same. As i said above Amazon and Ebay are taking over with the stuff you can purchase online. For sure I'll miss this store. For any other kid who knew about this store in the past. This was the place go for toys.

Edited March 16, 2018 by Big_Smiley

[Typhus]

I should be sadder, but growing up my family could never afford to get anything from Toys 'R' Us, so the extent of my knowledge of that place comes from looking at the commercials. By the time I ever had any money to my name, I was far too old to be going around toy shops.

[Zello]

The toys r us closest to me closed around 2006-07. I loved going there as a kid but it was located in a pretty dangerous neighborhood. There were always a bunch of sketchy people hanging out by the parking lot and some people got stabbed by some MS-13 members.

Edited March 17, 2018 by Zello

[Big_Smiley]

I should be sadder, but growing up my family could never afford to get anything from Toys 'R' Us, so the extent of my knowledge of that place comes from looking at the commercials. By the time I ever had any money to my name, I was far too old to be going around toy shops.

Similar situation fam Like i mentioned as a kid i've only been there like two times as a child. As an adult i only shopped there at times to buy gifs for the family. Now there closing the entire thing Walmart sucks compared to Toy'R Us.

 

@Zello: Hard to believe any Salvas hanging out around toy shops. Lmao, that place had to be beyond the ghetto for such a hang out spot that bad.

Edited March 17, 2018 by Big_Smiley

[Pete4000uk]

It's sad but it's not as big as when Woolworths shut here in the UK

[Smooth Longsack]

I've got two daughters, 11 and 15. They've gone to toys r us a half dozen times or so. The oldest always loved horse figurines and the youngest was in love with stuffed foxes. Now, all their toy money is wrapped up in my massive phone bill. Friggin $300 a month for the fam! All kids want these days is a portal to the internet. Monkey see monkey do. Go figure.

[ṼirulenⱦEqừinox]

Sadly yes Toy's r Us going out of business makes Walmart or Amazon my only two choices even though the closest one was around 30 minutes away it was still my go to when it cames to buying toys for my youngest and my niece and nephews and since I don't like venturing into Walmart, Amazon will now become my sole purchasing place of toys which kind of sucks because one thing I liked about Toy's r Us is I was able to go into the store and physically pick up the toy and test out the display models to see what I am actually getting which Walmart doesn't do and which I won't be able to do until it's delivered to my home.

 

I still have fond memories of going there as a kid and my mom using that store to make me behave, If you behave than we can stop by Toys r Us on the way home or If you get all A's we can go to Toys r Us and get you a toy and still to this day I know all the words to the original Toys r Us jingle.

 

 

I say good riddance, Im upset about the closure of the ferris wheel in Times Square but Toys-R-Us wanted to keep their archaic way of business and this the result. Im sure future kids will live just fine without their dopamine receptors firing off by something as superficial as toys and a lot of you spoiled asses dont realize how selective and dumb that even is.

Holy f*ck, May to never be able to breed

Edited March 18, 2018 by Ai®aCob®a

[Tchuck]

What does this mean to Toys-R-Us abroad?

 

As a child, I was always envious of Americans for having access to Toys-R-Us and their always recent catalog of Lego, whereas we in Brazil had to content with Brazilian stores and less recent Lego (also more expensive).

 

There's quite a number of them here in Japan, and they sometimes have sales on Lego too. Wondering if the closing is only in the US and their branches abroad are owned by someone else or something.

[unbid]

Toys-R-Us had been gone in here since 2005ish. Used to go there at least once a month to get my monthly dose of toy cars (HotWheels, Matchbox, Maisto, Bburago, Tomica, you name it). It was the sh*t back then. Huge stores, many choices to choose from, even offering something that other toy stores hadn't offer back then like Playmobil and Siku diecast.

 

Nowadays, I still collect toy cars, but I'd rather buy them at some independent toy seller and hobbyist. They usually offer better stuffs at better price than the big box toy store, but on some occasion, big box and department store still delivers hidden gem at cheaper retail price.

 

Damn, I miss being a kid. Especially the toys.

 

EDIT: Wait, does that mean the biggest Toys-R-Us in Big Apple is also closed? Damn, it will be one of my biggest regret to never be able to visit that place in my lifetime.

Edited March 19, 2018 by unbid