It was inevitable. Most of the posts are about childhood/teenage years visiting the stores, but has anyone set foot in one in the last decade or so? It's mostly baby stuff and crap toys. Nothing like back in the '80s and '90s when they had really cool stuff.

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Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

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Originally posted by Lord Vaalic:
I didn't see this posted. Toys R Us is closing all of its stores. Sad to see, the mecca of my childhood, all those toys, gone. There was nothing more exciting than a trip to Toys R Us and getting something shiny and new.

That's a bummer. I too have fond memories of my childhood visiting Toys R Us.

There were no Toys R Us when I was a kid. We had to make do with Kresge's and Woolworth's.

flashguy

Back in the day I never thought I would see this chain closing.
Many a diaper/ formula run made there, not to mention toy shopping.
I remember circling the lot looking for parking knowing a spot any where near the door was hopeless to find. This was at any time of the year. Walking the lots in winter with snow and ice, carrying cases of formula and huge packs of diapers, without falling, because you could not push a cart through the snow, ice, and winter wind, was something I will never miss.

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There were no Toys R Us when I was a kid. We had to make do with Kresge's and Woolworth's.

flashguy

Toys 'R Us was after my time, too. We had Harts and (I believe) a Kresge's when we lived up north, but after a move to the country when I was 8, we didn't have any stores like that nearby. Instead, we made do with the Sears Wishbook. It would arrive in late August or so (about the start of school) and would be dog-eared within the week. So many opportunities for fun play, and so little money to actually get anything with.

That said, I remember earning a few dollars and ordering a G.I. Joe when I was 9 or so. We went to pick it up at the nearest Sears catalog store, almost 20 miles away. That was a thrill.

If Sears had transitioned their catalog business to the internet instead of keeping their focus trained on the big mall stores, they would be in better shape today and might still be around in five years. Like Toys 'R Us, they'll be gone or changed into something completely different soon.

Yep, that's a shame about Toys-R-Us. Similarly, I also miss walking through Blockbuster with my then four year old son, looking at all the videos, trying to pick one to watch. Or, walking through Borders Books with him picking a couple new books for him to read.

Its a shame. Shopping at these stores, especially with kids, was as much about the experience as it was the purchase.

Tragic.

Toys-R-Us was always a treat as a kid. Even if you didn't get anything just looking through all those toys was an adventure. G.I. Joes and toy cap guns back when they had cool toy guns.

I can remember saving up money to go buy something there.

My kids are 15 and 11. We've been to toys-r-us a few times, and usually walked away thinking "that's the same stuff we can get at Walmart, except it's further away and more expensive".

Maybe it use to be cool, but it has never really been any better than big-box retailers for as long as my kids have been around.

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Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by Lord Vaalic:
I didn't see this posted. Toys R Us is closing all of its stores. Sad to see, the mecca of my childhood, all those toys, gone. There was nothing more exciting than a trip to Toys R Us and getting something shiny and new.

That's a bummer. I too have fond memories of my childhood visiting Toys R Us.

There were no Toys R Us when I was a kid. We had to make do with Kresge's and Woolworth's.

flashguy

What if someone told you to stay out of the Woolworths?

My wife and I met at the local Toys R Us back in 1987 when the store first opened and we both worked there. I have to say Toys R Us was one of the worst companies I have ever worked for just in the way the treated their employees.

When the jr DFs were younglings I used to tease them with Toys r us. The local TrU was connected by one wall with a furniture store called RC Willey. Whenever I took them to RC Willey with Mrs DF, they would look longingly at TrU and beg to go rather than spend time looking at furniture and appliances. I even made up a song that blended the two names and sung it at random. They HATED that! Tooooooys R C Willeeeeeeey.....lololol. Even when I took them to Toys R Us, as we approached the doors I'd begin veering toward the furniture store. All 4 boys would push and pull me back to TrU with all they had and scold me for teasing. LOLOL good times.

Was definitely a bit sad to hear. Loved the visits to Playworld and Toy R Us when I was a kid and even as recently as the last few years with my children. I also fondly remember the models / hobby section, as well as the G.I. JOE, Star Wars, and Transformers sections etc. I still have a very large box of the aforementioned toys in my attic that I have unfortunately not looked in in years (think Millenium Falcon and Skystriker easily fit inside as well as others). Might be time to bring the box down and open it up to see what has survived and what condition everything is in. I still have some stored away indoors as well that I have shown my daughters including an original release Optimus Prime that has obviously been played with but is still in relatively good condition.

Talk about a lot of great memories!

Didn't they ban all toys with guns in them? Fuck them.

All the GI Joes I bought from Toys R US back in the day....

http://video.foxbusiness.com/v...8001/?#sp=show-clips


I'm going to try to save Toys 'R' Us: Isaac Larian

Mar. 26, 2018 - 5:02 - MGA Entertainment CEO Isaac Larian on his efforts to save the toy retailer.

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Originally posted by SevenPlusOne:
Didn't they ban all toys with guns in them? Fuck them.

All the GI Joes I bought from Toys R US back in the day....

If they did, it was a miserable failure...plenty of toys with guns still on sale there, including G.I. Joe.

The ones around here were among the first stores to post when Wisconsin first got Concealed-Carry.

We quit going there. They went bust.

Bye.

I had some fond childhood memories there.

Anyone else remember the video game buying process of bringing a ticket to the cashier and then the receipt to the locked counter?

My parents bought more than a few GI Joe's there. Couldn't afford Transformers, though.

I don't think I have ever been in one of their stores. When I was a kid we got our toys at the local five and dime or the one lone department store in town. That was about it.

Still sad to see.

It isn't just TRU, apparently. Dozens of retailers have gone or are going bust, closing stores, going online only or going out of business altogether. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retail_apocalypse

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Originally posted by Orguss:
It was inevitable. Most of the posts are about childhood/teenage years visiting the stores, but has anyone set foot in one in the last decade or so? It's mostly baby stuff and crap toys. Nothing like back in the '80s and '90s when they had really cool stuff.

Raised three youngun's with trips to distract at times also
Nothing but chinese shit now
all things considered
Later...