Toys R Us Closing Its Doors, Possibly Reopening?


With Geoffrey the Giraffe at the Bellevue TRU in 2015
It has been all over the news, so I am sure this post is not breaking news to anyone. However, I could not let the Toys R Us (TRU) chain shut its doors forever without a small homage of my own.

See update at end of post about the possibility of some TRU stores reopening!

Toys R Us was established on June 1957, in Washington, D.C. I have fond memories of going into the huge toy store as a little girl when we lived in D.C. There was nothing else like it.

Later as Toys R Us moved across the country we finally got one in Nashville and a few years later, a store opened in Bellevue, TN, where I became a frequent guest. A writer for several fashion doll magazines including Barbie Bazaar and Millers Fashion Doll Magazine, I was often in the store taking photos of new dolls and buying them for more formal photo shoots for my articles.

After print media doll magazines closed their doors, I still wrote doll articles for Examiner, Yahoo and this blog, so my professional relationship with TRU continued. At one point, I even worked part time for the toy chain for a little over a year, and I had a ball working for the giraffe! 🦒

Cool Springs Toys R Us closes its doors in 2018
But Toys R Us was always about the kids. From helium balloons to colorful bags to birthday clubs, from kiddie rides to dolls, video games and aisles and aisles full of toys, TRU was the place to go it you wanted to remain a kid. And don't we all -- at least just a little bit -- want to remain a Toys Are Us kid at heart?

I watched the Bellevue store get packed out a few years ago in 2015, and this week I went to the Cool Springs store to say good-bye to the closest store left.  It was a bittersweet walk down Memory Lane. The sales signs and closed aisles looked eerily familiar. Most items were 50-70% off the day I was there.

Bellevue TRU closed its doors in  2015
So thanks for the memories, Toys R Us. You have been a big part of my life and of all the little girls and boys who grew up on baseball, Mom's apple pie, and Geoffrey the Giraffe. I will always wanna be a Toys R Us kid.

I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid
they got a million toys at Toys R us that I can play with
I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid
they got the best for so much less, it'll really flip your lid
From bikes to trains to video games
it's the biggest toy store there is (gee whiz!)
I don't wanna grow up, cause maybe if I did
I couldn't be a Toys R Us kid
more games, more toys, oh boy!
I wanna be a Toys R Us kid
 Update: There is some talk of reopening Toys R Us! 

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