Toys ‘R’ Us is returning, and the Bay Area is one of the few places in the nation at the forefront.
As part of a partnership with Macy’s, the toy store will open branches at Macy’s in Union Square in San Francisco and at Valley Fair in San Jose, Macy’s announced in a press release last month. The openings are part of an effort to bring Toys ‘R’ Us to all Macy’s stores across the country ahead of the holiday season.
“Macy’s can’t wait to bring the Toys ‘R’ Us experience to life in our stores,” said Nata Dvir, Macy’s chief merchandising officer, in the press release. “We hope Toys ‘R’ Us children of all ages will discover the joy of exploration and play in our stores and that families will create special memories together. The customer response to our partnership with Toys ‘R’ Us has been incredible and our toy store has seen it Tremendous growth.”
Toys ‘R’ Us is aiming for a comeback after a difficult period for the brand. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2017, which resulted in all of its US stores closing over the next four years. WHP Global acquired the company in March 2021 and has since started rebuilding the chain.
The toy franchise has enjoyed success since partnering with Macy’s when they began offering their products online using Macy’s “digital and fulfillment ecosystem” in August 2021. The department store reported toy sales in the first quarter of 2022 that were 15 times higher than before the partnership.
Toys ‘R’ Us returned to personal stores last December after opening a two-story, 20,000-square-foot flagship store in New Jersey. They’ve since opened additional locations, most of which are in-store shops within Macy’s. There are already 21 Macy’s locations in California with Toys ‘R’ Us stores, including four in the Bay Area and 15 others with planned openings, according to their website.
A Macy’s spokesperson told SFGATE that the Macy’s Union Square location will open in mid-September and will be 7,000 square feet.