Toys R Us

[Fortmax2020]

A final nostalgia trip out to my local one today.

What amazing closing down sales! 10% off Lego and 20% off Transformers. Still higher priced than elsewhere in town including the Lego Store itself. No wonder they went under.

[primenova]

My tru is closed It looks like central Doncaster mini store is still open & I'll check the big stores in Wakefield & outer Leeds this weekend.

[reilly2040]

I finally made it out to the TRU at the Forge, and my experience was similar to FortMax's. I'd largely gone in looking for a Primus, and unsurprisingly they were all gone. Otherwise, despite all the "EVERYTHING MUST GO!!!" signs decorating the place you'd have been forgiven for assuming it was a normal day. All the shelves were still fully stocked, and the prices were way too high, so the 20% off didn't really make much difference. I almost picked up some spare Titan Masters for £4, but by that point I felt I was just buying something for the sake of it.

Me and my kid ended up in Tesco buying toys instead. Pretty sad state of affairs.

[Fortmax2020]

My shelves were half empty yesterday and staff were actively emptying them of the higher ticket items all over the shop. I suspect they have been bought up by someone and destined for discount stores..

[reilly2040]

That's what I was wondering about the lack of discounting on the stock (compared to, say, the Woolworths close down where I remember them happily selling the shelves if people wanted them). Seemed to me its mostly very recent toy stock, so I wondered if they were maybe planning on auctioning it off to other retailers.

I guess we'll know if Primus turns up in B&M...

[The Doctor]

I hope not. I would army build them and then have nowhere to sleep.

-Ralph

[primenova]

Just seen on US sites that TRU US & Canada seem to have been halted on close down now - but not read the full story.

[Philip Ayres]

Whereas Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/Adam16bit/status/973648879890481152

[Bogatan]

Mar 13, 2018 20:12:17 GMT Philip Ayres said:

Whereas Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/Adam16bit/status/973648879890481152

Weird to say its reported, the front page of the website states it very clearly and has for at least 24 hours and probably since the weekend when they stopped accepting gift cards clubcard point etc.

[Pinwig]

Spose I can bin that gold card now, thinking about it.

[Philip Ayres]

TRU to close all UK stores with 3000 job losses

www.theguardian.com/business/2018/mar/14/toys-r-us-to-shut-all-uk-stores-resulting-in-3000-job-losses

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43401674

[browny87]

with them all closing soon does that mean extra discounts? or more likely they've mass sold stock to another retailer

[reilly2040]

Damn shame for everyone that works there. It'll be interesting to see if any of the vacated stores are snapped up by the Entertainer or Smyths.

[legios]

Fits with the conversation I overheard last Friday, where one member of staff was telling a customer ".....another few weeks", I suspect that this is only news to those of us outside the affected circle. It is a real shame for those folk losing their jobs - especially in areas as starved of employment opportunities as many of the stores are located.

Can't see the Entertainer or Smyths here wanting the real-estate. The Entertainer would be trading away its town centre location in the shopping centre right next to the market - where most of the footfall is. Smyths have only just opened up in a unit refurbished only nine months ago on the same trading estate as TRU - they'd be moving to a worse store in the same location. No incentive for them there. Might be different in places where there is a TRU and no Smyths, but considering how aggressive the latter's expansion has been I'm not sure if there are many such places to be honest.

Karl

[Philip Ayres]

Swindon is one.

[Philip Ayres]

Looks Game Over for the US store

www.toysrusinc.com/press/toysrus-to-wind-down-us-business

[browny87]

i cant see either wanting the real estate, round here most smyths already exist close enough to TRU to not warrant another store.

[Fortmax2020]

I could see TRU wanting space in Manchester centre... alas the TRU here is neither in the 'centre' as it is a ten minute walk away from everything else nor 'out of town' like the Smyths here already are.

I could see them maybe going for Stockport's space given how that area would have no toy store once TRU goes amd the TRU there was one of the very safe ones pre-Christmas.

[reilly2040]

In Glasgow I was wondering about the Forge specifically. It, along with the Stirling store seem like the kind of space the Entertainer might go for. Govan is a trickier proposition. Its right beside the big Asda, but its not in the middle of a big retail park or anything so I can see something else ending up there.

[legios]

Mar 15, 2018 13:05:28 GMT Fortmax2020 said:

I could see TRU wanting space in Manchester centre... alas the TRU here is neither in the 'centre' as it is a ten minute walk away from everything else nor 'out of town' like the Smyths here already are.

I could see them maybe going for Stockport's space given how that area would have no toy store once TRU goes amd the TRU there was one of the very safe ones pre-Christmas.

Stockport TRU - now that is an echo from the past. Got my Nightscream and T-Wrecks from there many years ago.

Karl

[primenova]

Your local TRU may have closed - but all they have done is moved the whole stock to Wakefield or Leeds increased the price by 40% & put a 25% off on it. Isn't the Computron set going for less than £60? TRU have it for £130 with 25% off

[The Huff]

Mar 13, 2018 21:03:35 GMT Pinwig said:

Spose I can bin that gold card now, thinking about it.

Take it to Smyths and you get 20% off. Cheeky, but I'm sure Toys R Us would be doing the same if the tables were reversed.

www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/in-store-gold-card-offer

[Pinwig]

Ooh. Let's hope they get something new in by the end of the month. Even at £19 I don't think I want a Starscream.

[Philip Ayres]

TRU founder Charles Lazarus dies aged 96

money.cnn.com/2018/03/22/news/companies/toys-r-us-founder-obituary/index.html

[primenova]

They sold out of Primus - but I got 2 * TF5 combiner sets £27

[Jim]

Ireland's Smyths Toys to buy Toys 'R' Us in Germany, Austria, Switzerland

www.reuters.com/article/us-toys-r-us-bankruptcy-germany/irelands-smyths-toys-to-buy-toys-r-us-in-germany-austria-switzerland-idUSKBN1HS0C2

Looks like we'll continue to have some kind of big toy retailer over here, though I guess it'll be rebranded if this goes through. Good news if it means they keep all the locations open and staff employed.

[drmick]

Apr 23, 2018 7:23:04 GMT Jim said:

Ireland's Smyths Toys to buy Toys 'R' Us in Germany, Austria, Switzerland

www.reuters.com/article/us-toys-r-us-bankruptcy-germany/irelands-smyths-toys-to-buy-toys-r-us-in-germany-austria-switzerland-idUSKBN1HS0C2

Looks like we'll continue to have some kind of big toy retailer over here, though I guess it'll be rebranded if this goes through. Good news if it means they keep all the locations open and staff employed.

That's a massive expansion by Smyths- almost doubles their size.

[Bogatan]

Last two days of Toys R Us UK.

[browny87]

I'm assuming there will b very little left in stores

[primenova]

I got a load of candles for a total of 31p