Toys "R" Us will open a new flagship store in the U.S. just in time for the holidays -- and it will be at a famous Midwest location.
The toy retailer's parents company, WHP Global, announced over the weekend that its second U.S. flagship will open in the Mall of America just before Thanksgiving. Additional flagship stores are expected to open next year as well, the company said.
So far, Toys "R" Us has a flagship at the American Dream mall in New Jersey, along with a number of "shop-in-shops" inside Macy's stores across the country.
"After the success we've experienced with our first flagship at American Dream and shops inside Macy's, bringing Toys"R" Us to Mall of America was a must. There is the perfect mix of entertainment and retail that makes it a highly trafficked go-to-destination for families year-round," Jamie Uitdenhowen, executive vice president of Toys"R" Us at WHP Global, said in a statement. "I'm thrilled to open our first flagship with our new partners at Go! Retail Group as we continue to expand the Toys"R" Us brand through new concepts and to new locations around the world."
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The new store is slated to be more than 11,000 square feet, offering an array of toys and games as well as a photo opp with Geoffrey the Giraffe. Beginning in 2024, the store will offer new features like a café and ice cream parlor, interactive experiences and product demonstrations, the company said.
The store is scheduled to hold its opening weekend beginning Nov. 17 in the mall's Level 1, East.
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The newest opening comes more than a month after WHP Global announced expansion plans, with hopes of opening up to two dozen flagship stores in the U.S. The company said it would roll out the locations in "prime cities" that complement its current retail footprint.
Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and was ultimately pushed into liquidation. The brand's only two remaining locations in the U.S. closed earlier in 2021 before returning with the 20,000-square-foot location inside the American Dream megamall and the following Macy's partnership.
WHP Global said said its new flagships will be similar to the American Dream location, and will aim to "serve as epicenters of immersive fun, providing customers with a destination to explore and discover the hottest toys."
Additional details on future locations have not yet been released.
