Toys ‘R’ Us’ new parent company (Tru Kids Brands) announced that two new stores—one in Houston, the other in Paramus, New Jersey—would open in time for the holidays. But unlike the Toys ‘R’ Us of old, these new locations will be smaller, re-designed and fundamentally different in their operating model.
Rather than stacking it high in the hopes of watching it fly, reports suggest that the merchandise offering will be highly edited and the presentation will be far more experiential and interactive. Most notably, the new concept stores will powered in partnership with b8ta, the Silicon Valley startup that has been a pioneer in the concept of ‘retail as a service’
The new owners of the iconic toy retailer and its signature Geoffrey Giraffe mascot. Barry pitched his plans for the new version of the chain to toymakers at an industry conference last week.
The plans have been in the works for months, with the goal to open a half dozen or so stores, and an online marketplace. That’s a far cry from the 600 megastores closed for good last year. The new stores will also be about half the size of the old chain.
