Death of the Toy Store

[no_hypocrisy]

(Disclaimer: Yes, I grieve for the 33,000+ employees about to lose their jobs, very much so. But this note is dedicated to children.)

When I was a small child, there still were literal toy stores, some on Main Street, some at the newly minted shopping center.

They closed and they were replaced by toy stores at department stores.

They closed and there were fewer toy stores at the malls.

They closed and there was Toys R Us.

I read yesterday that Toys R Us is closing something like 750 stores around the country. One of the reasons is more toys are being purchased on Amazon due to the convenience and the lower prices.

I just remember the thrill and excitement of being a small child and being surrounded by tall shelves of toys of all kinds. Will children feel that same anticipation in the future? It was part of being a kid.

[Dennis Donovan]

1. We had Leo's Toy Store in our downtown...

What a thrill to go there on the weekend, run my fingers over several matchbox cars. That'll be a thing of the past...

[Left-over]

14. We are all being herded to amazon etc.

[Sherman A1]

2. Retail is evolving as it always has done

and will continue to do so. Toys themselves do the same. I was speaking with a friend and her soon to be 7 year old isn't really interested in toys. She plays outside weather permitting and has her iPad that occupies her time. I'm not sure that is a good thing or not, but it is indicative of the changing landscape of our world.

I expect Hasbro & Mattel to take some pretty big hits with the loss of Toy r Us in their distribution chain. This leaves them with WalMart, Target and Amazon. I suspect they will be looking for more direct sales options, but those require a significant investment in labor and such.

[Demsrule86]

11. It is not evolving, it is dying.

And I for one don't think it is a good idea.

[Left-over]

15. When a company this big...

cannot survive, what does this say for the thousands of small businesses attempting to make a living profit.

[Demsrule86]

24. It is true...and where will jobs come from? I am beginning to think people are

going to have to create their own jobs statewide...support local states businesses in order to survive what is coming.

[Blue_Adept]

28. When you don't look at why it's dying, then you make nonsensical arguments

This company, like others that have gone through the same process, is a victim of debt loading by Bain and others that bought it out a decade ago in order to bleed it dry.

It's not about retail. It's predatory capitalism.

[Politicub]

37. It could have survived

The gods of Wall Street and overpaid corporate leadership killed it.

[Neema]

48. In a few cases, it means good things. For example, in my neighborhood,

the independent bookstores that survived Barnes & Noble taking over, followed by Amazon taking over, are now thriving because they offer what Amazon cannot. They offer a community gathering spot, book readings and signings, small concerts and poetry readings, special events, good coffee, children's story time. The two indy bookstores that are within a ten minute walk of my house are always full of people and are always involved in neighborhood events.

I'm not saying all this retail decline is good for the thousands of people who are now losing their jobs. But while the giants are consolidating ever further, a vacuum is created for the little guy who can offer something missing from the online shopping experience.

[Sherman A1]

18. I disagree that it is dying.

Certainly the 1970s - 2000ish model is rapidly changing and shrinking. Even within that model there was a great deal of change over the decades as technology advanced, space was overbuilt and methods adjusted to new trends.

It will be a bad time for the next few years until things bottom out, but the sector will survive. It will become something of a hybrid of online and store front (it always has been a combination of mail order and store front) but at one time Retail was done by traveling around in wooden wagons pulled by horses.

I don’t have the data handy but I recall reading that as bad as 2017 was for store closings, it was a net gain as more stores actually opened last year than closed.

[Demsrule86]

22. There are no toy stores left. I heard the same thing about electronics...and it never

came back. I fail to see how that sector survives. And this is not only about supply and demand...we have bottom feeder equity people involved.

[Sherman A1]

26. Did Retail for almost 5 decades

And as I said I my post above, it was always changing. The consumer may not have seen those changes and was not intended to, but even if there’s no big box toy store there will still be toys sold at Retail. Even though the Circuit City chain is gone, you can buy a TV at Best Buy, Walmart or Target or Micro Center, so electronics are still very much available.

The model is changing and will always continue to do so.

[crazycatlady]

36. Best Buy is still alive

I actually prefer to buy my electronics there because they'll help you set up (they set up my Fitbit for me).

My phone upgrade (this spring) will most likely come from there.

[Codeine]

55. Target is still full of toys and electronics,

and it’s a much better shopping experience than TrU ever was.

[JHB]

3. How much debt did Bain and Vornado saddle them with?

There was a leveraged buyout in 2005, and it’s always worth checking up on just how much debt the money guys shuffled onto the company’s books while they pay themselves back.

[JI7]

12. That might have prevented them from remodeling the stores

Which like sears and kmart started to look like warehouses instead of an exciting toy land which would make people want to stop there.

[Politicub]

38. Whenever you read about leveraged buyouts or private equity

int the retail sector, come back in a few years and the retailer will have gone bankrupt.

And the private equity vultures will be laughing all the way to the bank.

[kcr]

43. Thank you. They are the real reason TrU is dying and it started well before Amazon

Not to downplay the evils of Amazon but in this case, the Amazon excuse is just a cover for another evil that is equally as malignant.

[FSogol]

57. Exactly, this caused their demise more than Amazon. n/t

[JI7]

4. The stores also looked crappy compared to years ago

And target and other places took advantage of it.

[Sherman A1]

19. Target chose to expand

There selection and space of games for last Christmas and has made a commitment to the category as they see growth there.

[Codeine]

56. Target certainly upped their board game

selection. Tons of entry-level Euro-style games were there over the holidays.

[FSogol]

58. True, Target has a great games selection. n/t

[kcr]

46. Target, yes. But my local WalMart looks like a cross between a garage sale and a dump

I'm sure that varies by location, but I remember when WalMarts were much nicer. I think WalMart has overtaken Toys R Us in toy sales.

[oberliner]

5. Will all other stores soon be dead as well?

Seems like buying online has rendered most of them pointless.

[Va Lefty]

6. Many will close. Sears and Kmart won't be around much longer

[oberliner]

7. What will be left?

Do any of the big chains survive?

[Va Lefty]

8. Walmart, Target, probably some "specialty" stores along with Costco and Sam's Club

[oberliner]

30. Can't you get anything from Walmart/Target online for cheaper?

[Va Lefty]

49. I don't know. I don't patronize Walmart and really don't go to Target all that much either

[Demsrule86]

10. Our last Kmart just closed.

[Adrahil]

13. Yeah, I just can't see them surviving.

Online shopping is more convenient, cheaper, MUCH greater variety. Retail cannot compete with that. For me, being a big guy, the retail stores just don't carry enough clothes that fit me.

[Politicub]

39. Look to see which are owned by private equity

Most of them will go bankrupt over the next few years.

The assets like real estate and buildings will be sold or moved into a real estate investment trust. Then the brand will need to lease its assets back to itself. If the company succeed or fails, the investors will make a lot of money either way.

[Demsrule86]

9. No there are no toy stores.

It is very sad.

[milestogo]

16. On Amazon its easier to hide how cheaply toys are made

and you still pay a fortune for them.

[rusty quoin]

17. That was one of the great things I loved as a child.

Rows and rows of floor to ceiling toys.

[cubbies01]

20. Sad

I also feel bad that my kids don't get to go to record/cd stores and discover the joys of flipping through music, looking for new bands. Book stores are also on life support. Sure, my kids can find music on itunes/spotify...but just not the same. So many people now don't even really get the concept of an album and simply listen to songs and playlists. But I still miss Borders. Borders was my favorite place to go - until it abruptly went under.

[Blue_Adept]

29. They can't look at a limited selection anymore

They're exposed and are easily shared new music. The range of music that my kids listen to and how easily they can discover even more of it through things like spotify and pandora never mind youtube is staggering. Watching them as they discover their own preference for music through it compared to how I did back in the 80's is fantastic. I wouldn't wish for them to go back to that time in the slightest.

[Va Lefty]

50. Yeah, as a child of the Seventies I loved flipping thru the Albums and just looking

Some of the "Album Art" was so cool. Another thing kids today miss out on without even knowing they are missing it.

[Codeine]

60. They dont have album art,

we didn’t have access to DeviantArt.

[Codeine]

59. I grew up in the eighties

listening to New Wave, goth, punk, etc. I wish I would have had the ability to discover the range of stuff available like my kids do now. There aren’t any record store tastemakers and gatekeepers limiting what they stumble across.

[Va Lefty]

63. You make a good point

[DinahMoeHum]

21. You should come to my neck of the woods. . .

. . .to my old hometown, just a few miles from where I now live. We have TWO toy stores (not big box) that have been around for decades. I do all my Christmas shopping for toys in both stores. No fuss, no shipping/handling issues, etc. and the prices are comparable.

Thing is, I cannot recall ever shopping at Toys R Us. They were too big and confusing for me.

[NCTraveler]

23. Please google toy store followed by your county.

Our area has numerous individually owned toy stores. They could use the business and most are set up in a beautiful way for children. I have chosen them over Toys R Us/Babies R Us. Toy stores have not died.

That is a lot of employees losing their jobs. Nothing good about it.

[Blue_Adept]

31. Here's an entire directory of them by state!

http://toy-stores.regionaldirectory.us/

[NCTraveler]

32. That is sweet!

Not a complete list but still a great resource.

[Tracer]

62. There's a brick-and-mortar toy store in my town.

It's not a big town, but that toy store has been there for years. I hope it stays because the toys are unique --- not the usual plastic crap.

[dreamland]

25. They just didn't care

It doesn't help when the board of directors voted for a huge bonus for themselves just last year prior to declaring bankruptcy. Grifters.

[Initech]

47. And to Borders. And to Tower Records.

And to countless other chains. They get picked apart by vultures. They get the big bonuses while everyone else gets fucked. Part of the reason why retail has suffered and Amazon has grown exponentially.

[Ferrets are Cool]

27. The 5 & 10 was a magical place when I was a kid...

I would immediately head to the toy aisle. At that time, the highlights were plastic toy soldiers, plastic dinosaurs and BB's. I have fond memories of lusting for those things.

[Le Gaucher]

33. Death of the one chain selling cheap Chinese crap

There fixed it for ya

[d_r]

34. I grew up in the country

We didn't have toy stores, we had Sears and J c Penny's catalogs. Wish books. I loved looking at those. It was almost like having all the toys because you could see then and read about them and imagine and play with them in your head. On line seems kind of like that. Maybe this will open up for specialty stores. I hope things get better for people who lose jobs, we shopped at babies r us and toys r us for our kids, I hate it for the people who lose jobs. It sucks.

[Politicub]

40. I'm from a small town, too

I would gaze at the toy pages in the Sears Wish Book for hours.

Now I live in the city. The Toys r us that was nearest to us closed five or six years ago. It seemed really run down before that, though.

[crazycatlady]

35. I have young nieces (3 and 5)

Around the holidays, one of my favorite things to do was browse Toys R Us to see what to get them. Sure Amazon is convenient for toys, but it is much easier to shop Amazon if you know what you're looking for. THe toy aisles at Walmart/Target aren't that great for browsing.

Growing up there was always Kay Bee Toys, but they're long gone too.

[Egnever]

65. Next time try this place

https://www.vat19.com/

They have an amazing selection of toys and many of them include videos of the toys in actual use.

[llmart]

41. That's OK...

our savior, Donnie Drumph is going to save all these jobs. He said so. So much winning.

[FarCenter]

42. Hopefully it will lead to better toy choices not driven by attractive packaging

"Shiny" is not a good criteria to use when choosing a toy for your child.

[vlyons]

44. Workers have less disposable income

So cheaper toys at Walmart, ebay, Amazon are logical alternatives

[Javaman]

45. King George was the local toy store in my neighborhood.

Oh how I loved going in there. it closed due to the owners growing old and they had no one to pass it on to.

I was still a kid when that happened. I was so heart broken.

now Toy's R Us is gone.

I have had friends that worked there back 35 years ago and they loved it, even with the crazy holiday crowds.

we are fracturing as a society. we are removing the simple pleasures. we are institutionalizing childhood experiences.

[RandySF]

51. I hate that people are losing their jobs

But Toys R Us was a crappy store for the last 12 years. Target was actually better.

[Freddie]

52. LBOs and CEO shenanigans

Killed Toys R Us, not Walmart and Amazon, although they didn't make things better.
Lived near one when the kids were little, was a great place to get diapers, formula and other baby stuff, best price and selection in the area. Used to take a vacation day, send the kids to daycare and do my Xmas shopping in 1 trip, then treat myself to lunch at Friendly's. Fond memories of 2 things now gone.

[wcmagumba]

53. Didn't really have a separate toy store but Woolworth's and David's...

Last edited Thu Mar 15, 2018, 11:52 AM - Edit history (1)

dept. stores here in the Wichita KS area late 60's and early 70's had
the best toy selection. David's was a pre KMart store with great 60's
architecture (weird angled roof and such), they had a great toy
dept. in one corner of the store with toy cars, planes, models to make,
plastic soldiers, games and more. It was too far away for us to get
there often but a couple of times around Christmas. They had an
electronics and albums area where I purchased my first album, the
soundtrack to 2001 A Space Odyssey (I'm still a nerd). You could
even buy a bag of popcorn on the way out. Woolworth's wasn't as
large but with the toy area and food counter for great burgers and
ice cream....mmmmm...

[kysrsoze]

54. I'm pretty bummed about it. I want a toy store for our kids to go to. There are very

few specialty toy stores around. This leaves us mostly relegated to Target and Amazon. I normally refuse to shop at Walmart.

[DFW]

61. My parents used to take shopping at Toys R Us when I was a child

I LOVED that place. In the beginning it was called "Children's Supermarket."

I can't imagine a child has the same thrill going through a website that he or she would running through a store seeing everything before their eyes. These days, I guess the new generation fo children will never know what they missed, so we old farts are left to feel the disappointment for them.

[PasadenaTrudy]

64. Kids play with iPads nowadays...n/t