BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — An iconic toy retailer is returning to Minnesota in time for the holidays.
WHP Global announced it is partnering with Go! Retail Group to open a new Toys"R"Us store inside the Mall of America. It will be the second brick-and-mortar standalone flagship store for the brand, following a similar store opening at American Dream in New Jersey.
All of the original Toys"R"Us stores in the U.S. closed following the company's bankruptcy and liquidation in 2018; however, new owner WHP Global has been working to revive the brand with the New Jersey store and a Toy"R"Us partnership with Macy's that features a store-within-a-store inside Macy's locations across the U.S.
"After the success we've experienced with our first flagship at American Dream and shops inside Macy's, bringing Toys"R"Us to Mall of America was a must. There is the perfect mix of entertainment and retail that makes it a highly trafficked go-to-destination for families year-round," said Jamie Uitdenhowen, Executive Vice President of Toys"R"Us at WHP Global, in a statement.
The location choice of being within the Mall of America is a surprising one, at least according to University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management's marketing professor George John.
"It's a bigger move than you would expect a lot of times when they're trying to resuscitate a brand, they start small and try to grow," John said. "This one is the other way around, saying 'hey if we can make it go here then it gives us the launch pad to go to other places.'"
John added that a coming back of a brand in brick-and-mortar form is not as rare as one might think.
"A lot of brands go out of business and the company goes out of business," he said. "But in marketing, we think of the brand having value in and of itself, and some of these brands still have value even though the company went out of business."
The warm and fuzzy memories of shopping at Toys"R"Us as a kid, or Christmas shopping there for children, that in itself is value.
"What Toys"R"Us has is it's a toy destination, look at the name of the store," John said. "The setting, especially families with children, you can imagine that was always a happy place, so that particular association fits into nostalgia fits into being recreated."
Nostalgia, which happens to be the one lacking ingredient that online retailers simply cannot ring up.
"The key will be how do I get people to come to my store, when I know I can search online and buy it," John said. "What we see brick-and-mortar people do now, is make it a great experience. So I'm going to guess-- this is purely a guess-- they're going to add things that have an experience component to it."
The new Mall of America store is scheduled to open on Friday, Nov. 17 on Level 1 East, with more than 11,000 square feet of retail space. In a news release, WHP Global said more additions are already planned for the space in 2024, including Geoffrey's Cafe and ice cream parlor, as well as new interactive experiences.
"Toys"R"Us has played a role in creating special memories for so many of us," said Heather Brechbill-Swilley, Senior Vice President of Leasing at Mall of America, in a statement. "We are excited to bring this playful and iconic brand to life at Mall of America for the next generation to enjoy. Whether you're a kid or a kid at heart, this nostalgic brand will be the perfect addition for families and guests of all ages this holiday season."
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