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NEWS: Toys R Us Lenders Launch New Venture to Revive Brand


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revolutionotaku



Joined: 19 May 2011
Posts: 886
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:44 pm Reply with quote
As a Toys R' Us Kid , I want to wish them the very best of luck.
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explosionforgov



Joined: 16 Jun 2016
Posts: 80
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:08 am Reply with quote
None of the former employees I've spoken to are at all happy about this.

Some were suddenly out of a job after working there longer than I've been alive. They're still looking for work, months later (or recently just got hired somewhere else). No severance check, and some locations couldn't even afford to pay their employees for their last week of work, no matter how many hours they worked. Meanwhile, the CEO walked away with $14 million.

They made a lot of stupid financial decisions, they were disorganized, and they (and many of their customers) treated the workers like dirt. There needs to be a physical toy store, but not Toys 'R' Us. The way they treated their associates has killed all nostalgia for the brand for me.
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GeorgeC



Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Posts: 795
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:15 am Reply with quote
I suspect that if they ever revive the toystore chain concept they'll be MUCH smaller than the TRU stores were.
Part of their problem was they had too much retail space.
Something in size between a KayBee toy store and half or less the size of TRU as we knew it is more likely but who knows if it'll happen?

I think it's a shame we've seen the end of hobby stores, toy stores, and record stores as we knew them. The industries that fed into those stores have never fully recovered, Internet or not. There is something to be said for going into a store and being able to hold it before you make a decision to buy it.
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Firefly251



Joined: 14 Jul 2018
Posts: 354
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:45 am Reply with quote
explosionforgov wrote:
None of the former employees I've spoken to are at all happy about this.

Some were suddenly out of a job after working there longer than I've been alive. They're still looking for work, months later (or recently just got hired somewhere else). No severance check, and some locations couldn't even afford to pay their employees for their last week of work, no matter how many hours they worked. Meanwhile, the CEO walked away with $14 million.

They made a lot of stupid financial decisions, they were disorganized, and they (and many of their customers) treated the workers like dirt. There needs to be a physical toy store, but not Toys 'R' Us. The way they treated their associates has killed all nostalgia for the brand for me.


my issue with arevival is...
what about the people that got shafted when they closed without compensation?

if they revive the store then the former workers will be shafted and it will seem lie kall TRU wanted was to avoid paying everyone and start fresh.

I grew up in 90's TRU was THE tpoy store..but it sucks now. EVERYTHING is overpriced. Went to ge ta 3ds game....wanetd $45 for it. Walmart had it (not on sale) for 30.

they went downhill badly in the past 20 years.
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-SP-





PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:46 am Reply with quote
Sometimes I forget I'm on Anime News Network, looks like the staff does too.
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Kadmos1



Joined: 08 May 2014
Posts: 13555
Location: In Phoenix but has an 85308 ZIP
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:00 am Reply with quote
-SP- wrote:
Sometimes I forget I'm on Anime News Network, looks like the staff does too.

Considering that TRU used to sell anime-based toys like Gundam, it is relevant I think.
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revolutionotaku



Joined: 19 May 2011
Posts: 886
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:59 am Reply with quote
Kadmos1 wrote:
-SP- wrote:
Sometimes I forget I'm on Anime News Network, looks like the staff does too.

Considering that TRU used to sell anime-based toys like Gundam, it is relevant I think.

They also sold Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon & Naruto merch as well.
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Ashen Phoenix



Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 2910
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:57 am Reply with quote
revolutionotaku wrote:
As a Toys R' Us Kid , I want to wish them the very best of luck.

You took the words right outta my mouth, friend.
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BadNewsBlues



Joined: 21 Sep 2014
Posts: 5921
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:58 am Reply with quote
-SP- wrote:
Sometimes I forget I'm on Anime News Network, looks like the staff does too.


That's okay many people such as yourself tend to repeatedly gloss over the fact that the site regularly posts articles and columns that don't immidiately have anything to do with anime like "This Week In Games".
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TheAnimeRevolutionizer



Joined: 03 Nov 2017
Posts: 329
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 11:06 am Reply with quote
-SP- wrote:
Sometimes I forget I'm on Anime News Network, looks like the staff does too.


Realizing that anime is not just animation and comics but also lends itself as a style to even video games (for once, thank you, BadNewsBlues) and even toys and model kits and music and acting, it's also known as being socially aware and conscious of a topic, especially in the arts.

Guess common sense still isn't all that common, or if it seems like it, one thing is always traded for another. It's also surprising how anime goers have become more strictly anime inclusive regarding their intake these days.
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Usagi-kun



Joined: 03 Jul 2013
Posts: 877
Location: Nashville, TN
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:06 pm Reply with quote
Ashen Phoenix wrote:
revolutionotaku wrote:
As a Toys R' Us Kid , I want to wish them the very best of luck.

You took the words right outta my mouth, friend.


Yep from me too. The 90's are callin'.
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-SP-





PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:12 pm Reply with quote
BadNewsBlues wrote:
-SP- wrote:
Sometimes I forget I'm on Anime News Network, looks like the staff does too.


That's okay many people such as yourself tend to repeatedly gloss over the fact that the site regularly posts articles and columns that don't immidiately have anything to do with anime like "This Week In Games".

They explicitly mention Anime games, at least from what I’ve seen. This article relies on the assumption that know the store used to sell Anime related toys.

I just find it ironic how they strike down anyone on news posts that slightly goes off-topic, while the news team themselves does it repeatedly.
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar


Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 16935
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:11 pm Reply with quote
-SP- wrote:
Sometimes I forget I'm on Anime News Network, looks like the staff does too.

Your definition of what constitutes relevance to the anime fandom is yours, but yours alone. It does not mean everyone has to abide by it nor agree. Users are expected to stay on topic because it's in the rules. It appears that you also forget that you can just ignore a news or interest article that doesn't interest you, instead of simply trolling. Try remembering that a bit harder next time.

I suggest everyone move on now. Thank you.
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CandisWhite



Joined: 19 Apr 2015
Posts: 282
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:09 pm Reply with quote
If anyone wishes to have the classic Toys R Us experience, and feel good about it, I suggest they book a ticket to Canada.

-Full size stores

-Full employment (Canada only declared bankruptcy because they were forced to by the creditor they shared with the States' division; TRU is behind only Wal-Mart in toy sales up here.)

- Now 100% independent of the US brand (and, ergo, no longer have to send a % of their income into that black hole) and looking to renovate & invest in their own stores.

The head of Canadian TRU fought hard to keep the store up here from being sucked down the drain with the US and she won; A Canadian company now owns TRU Can and the store is free to continue in their own way of doing things. I've heard a lot of negative things about TRU ( too expensive, dirty) and I can only assume that this is the American experience because the stores I know are just fine, as far as toys, no different a shopping experience than a Wal-Mart or a Canadian Tire.

I'm interested in what the reaction of toy companies is going to be to this Toy Box. TRU US: "Sooo, we kinda screwed you over beforehand...Can we order more toys?" I got a laugh out of the lighthearted shade thrown by the Canadian president when she was asked about her company's relationship with toy manufacturers and she smiled as she said "It's great; they're very supportive of the Canadian work. They're owed no money by us."

If the US company can prove a phoenix with Toy Box and jettison the garbage done prior, more power to them. And, God, do I hope that they FINALLY give their former employees the money those people deserve.
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LazyGoNutz



Joined: 12 Oct 2018
Posts: 8
Location: Tonari no Toronto
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:34 pm Reply with quote
CandisWhite wrote:

I'm interested in what the reaction of toy companies is going to be to this Toy Box. TRU US: "Sooo, we kinda screwed you over beforehand...Can we order more toys?"


From another article I've read at some point, other toy companies are not happy with this since this revival is going to be pop-up shops selling TRU brands in other stores. So, not only are they miffed that they lost money because of the bankruptcy, they would also know have to compete for shelf space with them.
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