Toys "R" Us, L.P. (stylized as Toys "Я" Us) is an American toy and juvenile-products retailer founded in 1908 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company operates 735 international stores and 245 licensed stores in 37 countries and jurisdictions.
In addition, it exclusively operates the FAO Schwarz brand and a number of FAO Schwarz locations all over the US. It also operates KB Toys outlets and Imaginarium outlets in the USA, the District of Columbia, and American territories.
Toys "R" Us has a partnership with the catalog showroom chain Best to operate shop-in-shop Toys "R" Us locations.
History[]
Charles Lazarus initially started Children's Supermart (which would evolve into Toys R Us) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the post-war baby boom era in 1948 as a baby-furniture retailer. Its first location was at 2461 18th St, NW, where the nightclub Madam's Organ Blues Bar is located. Lazarus began receiving requests from customers for baby toys. After adding baby toys, he got requests for toys for older children. The focus of the store changed in 1957, and Toys "R" Us was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Toys "R" Us was acquired in 1966 by Interstate Department Stores, owner of the White Front, Topps and Children's Bargain Town USA, a sister toy-store chain to Toys "R" Us in the American Midwest that would later be re-branded as part of the Toys R Us chain. The original Toys R Us store design in 1969-1989 consisted of vertical rainbow stripes and a brown roof with a front entrance and side exit. Some brown-roof locations still exist, although most have been repainted or renovated to newer store designs.
Subsidiaries & Assets[]
- Babies "R" Us
- Babies "R" Us Express
- Games "R" Us
- Imaginarium
- KB Toys
- KB Toy Works
- Kids "R" Us
- Toys "R" Us
- Toys "R" Us Deluxe
- Toys "R" Us Express
- Toys "R" Us Kid's World
- Scoops "R" Us
- Macy's
See also[]
- List of current Toys "R" Us locations
- List of former Toys "R" Us locations
- Toys "R" Us/Advertisement gallery