Life | Toys

Toys 'R' Us May Be Back In Business With Investors Planning A Revival

Flickr - Phillip Pessar

Remember how devastating it was just a few months ago when Toys 'R' Us filed for bankruptcy and shut all their doors in America? It was like a piece of our childhood had died and we could do nothing but sit and watch it happen.

No more biking through the aisles, no more seeing walls of Lego sets, and no more setting off all of the noisy toys at once before running away.

Sure, the employees hated us all, but it was a part of growing up, and it was sad to think that the children of the future wouldn't get to experience that same thing.

Well, it's only been a couple of months, but rumors are already swirling about the retailer, and we might have some good news!

Toys 'R' Us lenders have officially decided to cancel the bankruptcy auction that would sell off the intellectual property and branding rights to the company.

So Geoffrey the Giraffe needs to get back to work, because Toys 'R' Us may be coming back!

An employee photographed mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe leaving the storeTwitter - Gina Martin

According to Bloomberg, the lenders that were required to seize control over the financially unstable company have decided to try and "reorganize the assets into a new company that will maintain the current license agreements."

What this means is that they can open up new retail businesses under the old name, hopefully with better organization to actually make some money.

Both Toys 'R' Us and Babies 'R' Us have their branding surrendered to their lenders, which means that everything will still be the same, however there is some concern that the major toy suppliers like Mattel and Hasbro will not return because they have already moved on with new suppliers.

Toys 'R' Us had to sell many products at extremely discounted prices while closingFlickr - Mike Mozart

Senior managing director of GlassRatner Advisory & Capital group Seth R. Freeman suggested that this new company could work because it wouldn't have the same overhead, but it's not without its risks.  

“The company did generate operating profits -- and without debt, its profitability would be easier to maintain. Still, the timing of this move means the new company misses the critical holiday season, in which 34 percent of Toys ‘R’ Us merchandise is typically sold, giving it a tough three quarters of 2019 to slog through till holiday 2019.”

They will, however, have some new competitors in the market if they return, as KB Toys Inc is making a return with 1,000 pop-up stores, and Amazon is planning a holiday toy catalog.

While it's not easy to revive a brand like this, especially one that was so loved, there is a chance that the investors and new owners of the intellectual property could give it a shot.

Source - Bloomberg / National Post

Would you be interested in seeing Toys 'R' Us come back?

More Throwbacks

Retro

Toys 'R' Us Is Back For The Holidays - Here's How To Find Your Nearest Location

Since Toys 'R' Us filed for bankruptcy last September, Toys 'R' Us Kids of all ages have been anxiously following the struggling chains ups and downs.Last month, we shared the surprising news that investors planned to reopen the iconic toy store as a pop-up chain just in time for Christmas.Now, we know more about where these pop-up stores will be, including almost 600 locations in 30 states.Home For The HolidaysGeoffrey the Giraffe is the face of the new Geoffrey's Toy Box chain.KrogerOn Friday, Kroger, the country's largest supermarket chain, announced they would be opening

Toys

30 Toys From The Sears Wishbook We All Wanted Under Our Christmas Tree 30 Years Ago

I think we can all agree that one of the best things to do while growing up was digging through the Sears Wishbook to try and make our Christmas lists.It was around this time every year that we started to get really serious about it, even though Christmas was still a ways off. We obviously needed a lot of time to plan out our lists for Santa Claus, and we weren't about to make the same mistake as the year before and forget to send one! The Wishbook was an important part of that and while it may not

80s

10 Weebles Playsets From Our Childhoods We Loved To Watch Wobble

There were always toys when you were a kid that seemed to be more important than the rest. There were some that you couldn't go to bed without, there were others that you spent months begging your parents for, and then there were a few that were just staples, readily available where ever you went. No matter which friends house you were at or doctor's office waiting room you were in, there were some that just seemed to be everywhere. Weebles were one of the toys you would be mostly likely to find anywhere that toys were set up for

80s

With Sears Filing For Bankruptcy, Let's Never Forget How Amazing The Wish Book Was

If you celebrate Christmas, then you know that the most important and exciting day of the year is the one whenever your Sears Wish Book arrives. That's when you know that it's time to start writing out your Christmas list, comparing all the potential toys that you might consider. Pages and pages of Barbies, Lego, and board games to dream about, before writing them down on your letter to Santa. The Wish Book is one of those things that you never really stop looking at. You just keep on flipping through the pages any time you get bored, probably because

Toys

Toys 'R' Us Is Coming Back With A New Name, But Not Everyone Is Happy About It

Last week we learned that the lenders responsible for Toys 'R' Us had canceled their bankruptcy auction, meaning that they were planning on attempting a comeback. And already the company has revealed their new plans, but not everyone is happy about it. The Toys 'R' Us branding, including the name and mascots, were retained by the lenders. While the company couldn't make it work, the investors think they've figured out a way to make more money, and it involves bringing back the iconic giraffe. Geoffrey the Giraffe has been the Toys 'R' Us mascot for a long time, but now

Toys

The Original Tamagotchi Is Back So Now A Whole New Generation Can Fail At Keeping Them Alive

Who else remembers the first creature you were responsible taking care of? Sure, your family may have had a dog or a cat that you claimed you'd "walk every day" or "clean the litter box" but we all know you never did. Instead, all of us can thank our Tamagotchis for teaching us about responsibility. We learned very quickly that if we didn't take care of them properly they were going to die. It was a hard lesson to learn as a young kid, but we all managed it well. Whether it needed to be fed, played with, or put