Kids of All Ages Celebrate the Grand Return of Toys R Us in Boise
While it's home to just 10 residents, Idaho is already home to a town that refuses to die. The tiny town of Clayton already gave itself that name. Now? It looks like it will be home to the brand that refuses to die!
Toys 'R' Us originally filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017. At the time, they were hopeful that someone would step in and help the beloved toy store brand get its debt under control. Ultimately, it didn't happen and in 2018, Toys 'R' Us liquidated all of its retail locations in the United States, including its Toys 'R' Us and Babies 'R' Us stores at The Village at Meridian.
It wasn't just a dark day for kids. It was a dark day for the Toys 'R' Us generation of adults who refused to grow up. So many of us remember roaming the aisles with our parents looking at Barbies, Hot Wheels cars, board games, stuffed animals and bikes. Of course, we the Toys 'R' Us location we did that shopping at wasn't at The Village.
It was at the location on Milwaukee by Boise Towne Square Mall many moons before the Village existed. According to Flickr user ky23941, who shared a photo of the Boise store in 2012, that location opened in 1989. That location eventually became Dick's Sporting Goods after the toy store relocated.
In 2019, Target threw the brand a lifeline and allowed shoppers to browse products, read reviews and shop through Toys 'R' Us's website. When you were ready to buy, you could click the link and it would take you to Target's website to complete your order. Target would then take care of fulfilling the orders, either shipping them to the buyer's home or in-store.
Flashforward to 2022 and you'll find a similar relationship between the toy store and Macy's. That relationship has been in place since last summer, but Macy's recently announced that they're doing more to revive this iconic piece of Americana. In a press release, they announced that they will be adding a Toys 'R' Us section to every single one of their stores in the country before the Christmas shopping season arrives!
The Toys 'R' Us section of the store will be familiar with bright colors, places to try toys and a place where you can snap selfies with a life-size version of their iconic giraffe mascot, Geoffery, sitting on a bench. All locations are expected to be open by mid-October.
Boise will be home to one of the two Toys 'R' Us locations coming back to Idaho since we have a Macy's store at Boise Towne Square Mall. The only other Macy's location in Idaho is located at Silver Lake Mall in Coeur d'Alene.
As for the defunct Toys 'R' Us location at The Village? It won't be empty much longer. Plans are in the works to use part of the old location as a new Burlington.
We're excited for the return of Toys 'R' Us. We know it probably won't happen, but we'd LOVE to see these brands get a second chance too!
KEEP READING: 10 Nostalgic Stores and Places Boise Wants to See Make a Comeback
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