- Toys R Us stores across the United States have been holding going-out-of-business sales as part of a liquidation process after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year. All Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores will close by the end of the day on Friday, June 29.
- The company struggled to keep up with competitors and was burdened with over $5 billion worth of debt.
- Over its more than 60 years in business, Toys R Us gained lots of fans, many of whom are now mourning the death of the store and remembering their favorite childhood memories there.
As Toys R Us nears its end, fans of the store are lamenting its demise.
The retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September and officially filed for liquidation in March. As a result, more than 700 Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores across the United States will be closing for good by Friday, June 29.
The store has been saddled with debt since a leveraged buyout in 2005 and struggled to keep up with competitors.
Though many Toys R Us fans were aware of this, they’re still heartbroken to see it go.
In 1948 in Washington, DC, Charles Lazarus opened a baby-furniture store that would become the first Toys R Us after expanding into toys in 1957.
In the 1990s, Toys R Us was the biggest toy seller in the US, expanding rapidly as it pushed out smaller chains. But by 1998, things had changed, and Walmart began selling more toys than Toys R Us in the US - a signal of more trouble ahead.
Take a look back at what Toys R Us was like in its heyday:
As Toys R Us prepares to close its doors for good, fans are lamenting the death of the chain and looking back on their favorite childhood memories.
This is what a store in New Jersey looked like in 1996.
It had everything a kid could want. This photo from 2001 shows the Imaginarium section of a New Jersey store.
It had seemingly endless aisles, lined with dolls ...
... toys ...
... and bikes. It was the perfect place to test them before buying.
The Toys R Us "Big Toy Book" was filled with ads for toys like G.I. Joe or the Nintendo 64. They could all be purchased with Geoffrey Dollars, the equivalent of store credit or a gift card. Geoffrey Dollars were named after the "spokes-animal" of the store, Geoffrey the Giraffe.
http://instagr.am/p/BXtZq3aFCDC
Fans everywhere are mourning the end of Toys R Us.
Parents are having a hard time telling their kids that their favorite store is closing ...
... and teens are having a hard time letting go.
People of all ages are sad to see the store go.
Some referenced the memorable song heard in early Toys R Us commercials.
Others mentioned their favorite toys.
The end of Toys R Us has fans wishing it weren't true.
More on Toys R Us' demise: