Toys R Us

[Pinwig]

Yes, there is that, I just fear it would bring back exclusivity problems. Still, these days with Pulse, that's less of an issue.

[primenova]

Asda have just got in 2018 4 set Rescuebot gift set in. TRU could move into a Comet sized store - smaller than they are used to but these can be found easy in towns. All those closed Poundworld stores or if Poundstretcher have pulled out

[KnightBeat]

I visited a Toys R Us today, on the lower floor of a WH Smith in Shrewsbury. I descended the staircase, which showed the evolution of Geoffrey the Giraffe over the decades, with a mix of anticipation and dread. Would my wallet be crying for mercy as I carried a pile of TFOne figures to the cashier in a few minutes? Sadly not. The promise of ceiling to floor shelves was just a few aisles with general shelf labels like "cars and trucks". No TFs in sight.

[The Doctor]

Found one at the weekend myself. While it was nice to see Geoffrey again the stock appeared to be random remaindered items...at non-remaindered prices.

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

It's just the old WHS toy section rebranded and just as rubbish

[The Doctor]

They do sell Geoffrey plushes though. I was not allowed one.

-Ralph

[Benn]

I keep forgetting to go in the one here. Went in once, was underwhelmed, instantly forgot it exists.

[that_bluestreak]

Sept 16, 2024 10:17:13 GMT Philip Ayres said:

It's just the old WHS toy section rebranded and just as rubbish

i remember when WHS had a whole aisle of tfs that i could spend hours in!

[Benn]

I don't really remember WH Smiths having toys, but John Menzies, now... Now there was a Transformers aisle.

[Philip Ayres]

My WHS periodically had toys when I was younger: 85 Transformers and 88 Pretenders, 87 Action Force

[that_bluestreak]

in fact, i can remember getting Groove from WHS in Ilford, which might have been the brownest shop in the world.

[Shockprowl]

Sept 16, 2024 12:23:54 GMT The Doctor said:

They do sell Geoffrey plushes though. I was not allowed one.

-Ralph

Geoffrey from Rainbow?!

[Nigel]

Toys R Us and WH Smith announced their next raft of concessions the other day: toyworldmag.co.uk/whsmith-shares-update-on-new-toys-r-us-concessions/

I recently found the Swansea concession. I wasn't impressed.

[Andy Turnbull]

I look forward to reporting similar disappointment when Dunfermline's TRU opens.

[Llama God]

Havant? Blimey. And I thought The Meridian Centre was cursed enough as it was...

[Pinwig]

Interesting. Thinking about that has made me realise I haven't been upstairs in Smiths for longer than I can remember. It used to be stationery, CDs and Videos but lord knows what it's been for the last decade. I guess now it's going to be a toy shop...

[Llama God]

I've not even been into that WHSmiths in more than a decade - but that's perhaps understandable. This, however, will not convince me to visit next time I'm down that way. Unless something very odd happens.

[Pinwig]

I frequent it regularly for the purposes of purchasing specialist magazines and the odd book. Will I be able to purchase a legitimately required toy though...

[Jim]

I’m generally in the UK once a year these days, and at that sample rate it’s been very clear how the magazine sections are shrinking in WHS. Was sad to see how far the Victoria station branch has fallen since the days 15 years ago when I commuted through there every day.

[Pinwig]

Mine weirdly does have a very large magazine section, which has just spread out further and taken over part of what was the book section. It's gone from having racks that needed you to reach for the top shelf (quiet, Phil) to ones that are only up to about four feet. It's when I go in other Smiths' that I realise most have ever shrinking mag sections.

[Llama God]

Sadly print is indeed dying these days, given that people tend to read things online. Which makes it all the more depressing that all the online sites are collapsing as well, with actual human staff being replaced by cranked out, AI generated slop. Not a good time for the sharing of information and ideas...

[The Huff]

Sept 16, 2024 19:49:23 GMT Benn said:

I don't really remember WH Smiths having toys, but John Menzies, now... Now there was a Transformers aisle.

So many of my original toys came from Mr Menzies! And they often had the new stuff first!

[Nigel]

I remember having Actionmasters from the old Menzies in Cardiff.

[legios]

Menzies in Stirling didn't have much in the way of toys. But in the old days they did have an entire upper floor of books and videos. (I don't blame them for not having much in the way of toys - Debenhams was across the hall in the same shopping centre, Woolworths around the corner, and Toymaster just up the street outside the doors. It would have been barely worth the effort for John Mingis to try and compete with that kind of firepower.

They were good for comics if you were looking for Iron Man or Captain America (X-Factor you needed the little newsagent between the post-office and nightclub, and Excalibur was only in the one in causewayhead just outside Stirling on my way to High School...

Karl

[Pinwig]

Good lord. Local paper has a headline claiming there is 'euphoria' over the opening of the TRU in the Smiths in town. Euphoria!

"The chain has now revealed that the Toys R Us shop-in-shop at the WHSmith store will officially open on Saturday, October 19 with a grand opening taking place between 9am and 1pm. The shop will be welcoming Geoffrey the Giraffe who will be joining the WHSmith team for an official ribbon cutting when the store opens, before greeting visitors to the store throughout the morning.

The first 50 children visiting the store will also receive a free Toys“R”Us goody bag worth over £15 and people are being advised to head down there early as it is anticipated to be extremely busy."

This means my quiet early morning stroll into town for bread and coffee may well be compromised next weekend. I'm usually on the way home by nine but that smiths actually opens at half eight and is two doors up from Costa.

[The Doctor]

Meet Geoffrey!!!

-Ralph

[Pinwig]

No.

I am boycotting this event on the grounds the free toys are for children only.

[Philip Ayres]

It would not be done for a grown adult to be seen elbowing their way to the front to get free toys.

Let alone one who could be those kids teacher.

Do we need to talk about the Smyths opening again?

[duffism1981]

You will need to acquire a child to get your free stuff.

[Fortmax2020]

Oct 13, 2024 17:39:53 GMT Pinwig said:

No.

I am boycotting this event on the grounds the free toys are for children only.

That doesn't stop some here.