Eatontown Toys R Us Among Company’s Announced Closures

Toys R Us, one of many high-profile retailers to file for bankruptcy previous year, plans to shut down 180 stores across the USA, including two of its stores in the Triangle.

Toys R Us could close as many as 182 of its stores across the U.S.

Toys “R” Us is going the way of dozens of other retailers seeking bankruptcy protection and/or closing stores.

In a letter to customers, Toys “R” Us Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dave Brandon said the company’s focus is on reimagining the business with customers in mind.

Toys “R” Us operates about 1,600 stores worldwide, 880 of which are in the U.S.

Toys R Us, 1972 Wells Road, Orange Park: Open since 1989, the store is the oldest continously operated location in Northeast Florida. The targeted stores accounted for $925m in sales in 2017, according to the filing. The company’s stores in Meridian, Pearl and Tuscaloosa are among those set to go out of business.

The toy store declared bankruptcy in September and plans to close about 20% of its stores.

Madison is losing another major retail store.

Now Toys R Us and other category killers like the now-defunct Sports Authority, Borders and Circuit City, are being upended by a new force: Amazon.com.

According to the report, the company intends to convert some locations into combined Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores in addition to store closings.

The decision Tuesday gives Toys “R” Us the option to extend that deadline further, with the consent of landlords.

Each store has about 25 employees.

A list of the closing stores was also announced and Visalia’s location was not listed.

“My son-in-law and all of them do that, but I don’t know how”, says Janet Walker from Sumter County. Babies R Us carries a wide selection of products geared toward newborns, infants and toddlers, including furniture, strollers, vehicle seats, infant care items and a baby registry.

Toys R Us has been hurt by the shift to mobile devices taking up more play time.

The closings are not good news for toy makers.