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Stories

Toys “R” Us Is Coming Back With A Brand New Name

by Jane Kenney

3 years ago

It was recently reported that Toys “R” Us would be canceling their bankruptcy, reviving their brand, and re-opening store locations. The company has already revealed their newest and most jaw-dropping plan yet, and long-term Toys “R” Us fans don’t know how to feel about it.

In the midst of canceling their bankruptcy and retaining their branding and mascot by the lenders, investors figured out a great way to make sales sore. It involves the iconic Geoffrey the Giraffe, who has been the Toys “R” Us mascot for years. Now, he’s the main event as Toys “R” Us changes its name to Geoffrey’s Toy Box.

https://twitter.com/Nitomatta/status/1047238355660853253

Dallas Toy Preview’s official website was the first to break the news about the Toys “R” Us name change. The company ultimately credits their long-time mascot for inspiring a hopefully successful rebrand.

The website calls Geoffrey’s Toy Box a “wholesale toy distributor and intellectual property company whose focus is on popular play patterns across trusted brands that kids and parents love. Geoffrey’s Toy Box is a fully outfitted organization with design, development and global sourcing expertise. Portfolio includes popular brands like Journey Girls, Fastlane, True Heroes, You & Me, Imaginarium, Just like Home and more!”

https://www.facebook.com/ToyQueen/photos/pcb.10156623502908416/10156623502768416/?type=3&theater

So, when can anxious consumers get their hands on Geoffrey’s Toy Box’s items? According to Throwbacks, consumers can expect the first set of locations to open as soon as November, despite previous reports saying that the reviving brand might miss out on holiday sales. The store apparently plans to be a “shop-within-a-shop” and plans to feature larger retailers with mini-locations inside of their Geoffrey’s Toy Box store locations.

 

geoffrey's toy box
ComicBook via Geoffrey Inc

Is it a PR Stunt or For Real?

Apparently, former Toys “R” Us employees are not happy with what they call a “PR Stunt”. Carrie Gleason, campaign manager for advocacy group Rise Up Retain was one of the many to refer to the Toys “R” Us closing/revival in such a way as many former employees are still awaiting severance pay.

Sarah Woodhams, a former employee, spoke about the renaming of the brand. She said, “They’re saying Geoffrey went on vacation. We certainly did not go on vacation.”

https://twitter.com/ToysRUs/status/1048705645082566657

Toys “R” Us still owe about $75 million in severance pay and apparently only $25 million has been set aside. Despite this, many former employees hope to work for the newest retail store once again upon re-opening.

While the rest of us are certainly happy that Geoffrey is “back from vacation,” only time will tell on the success of the brand’s impending revival.

https://www.facebook.com/ToyQueen/photos/pcb.10156623502908416/10156623502753416/?type=3&theater

The latest news came last summer, June of 2019, when representatives stated:

“We’re definitely coming back in 2019. At minimum two stores. There’s more planned for 2020,” the person said. The new stores will be smaller than Toys “R” Us’ old stores and “experiential,” the person added.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jim smith says

    October 11, 2018 at 1:45 am

    i think the bankruptcy was a marketing ploy all along

  2. Roy says

    October 11, 2018 at 6:30 am

    It was all a stunt so that they could get rid of the Star Wars The Last Jedi toys since no one would buy them.

  3. jonj31070 says

    October 11, 2018 at 8:47 pm

    That was one expensive marketing ploy. They closed every store.

  4. Cjmurphy says

    October 12, 2018 at 12:31 pm

    You need to take care of the former employees who were left jobless before you ‘come back from vacation’. That’s a bad business decision. I won’t be shopping there until every former employee has been treated with the respect they deserve…get their severance pay taken care of first!

  5. PsyKo says

    October 12, 2018 at 12:45 pm

    It was a way to clear out their old stock, get rid of higher paid employees and stores that weren’t doing well, clear their debts and start over. So maybe not exactly a ploy, but definitely a premeditated business plan at the expense of employees and vendors.

  6. Alycia Goodrich says

    October 12, 2018 at 2:51 pm

    Well I still wont shop there, prices are to high. I can get the same toys cheaper online or at Walmart.

  7. Neal says

    October 12, 2018 at 5:54 pm

    lol

  8. Hannah says

    October 13, 2018 at 2:20 am

    Geoffrey the Giraffe is looking more like Humphrey the Hobo in that pic from twitter..

  9. Joey says

    October 13, 2018 at 4:36 am

    who spell checks this stuff? They spelled “soar” wrong.

  10. JT4 says

    October 14, 2018 at 4:27 am

    A fantastic idea! I for one welcome Geoffrey back from vacation. It does suck that the former employees got the shaft though. That’s business though, sadly cut throat and All about money at the end of every day.

  11. Gay Storm says

    October 23, 2018 at 4:01 pm

    Spell check won’t work on this one. You’d actually have to know the difference between soar and sore. Context, you know.

  12. Peggy says

    October 23, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    They should set up an internet mail order to stay competitive

  13. Eleanor says

    October 23, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    I’m happy they are coming back. We need a brick and mortar store to go to. Target and the other stores just don’t have enough selection. I was sad to see them go but I did take advantage of some amazing discounts towards the end. My grand kids are going to love their stuff. I hope they can get the individual stores open in time for the Holidays. I also hope that they offer some coupons that actually work on the products kids and parents want to purchase. Diapers, formula and popular toys.

  14. awojczynski says

    October 23, 2018 at 9:18 pm

    Yeah, just sit on yerass and get fat lady!!! Get out in the REAL WORLD!!! There IS more to life than amazooon!!! Visit REAL stores NOT your computer!!

  15. Ajaye says

    October 23, 2018 at 10:50 pm

    Sorry but if the prices are gonna still be sky high a name change isn’t gonna do anything, lol

  16. Rose says

    October 24, 2018 at 3:55 am

    Makes me happy!There’s no other place that I’d rather shop for my grandkids.I was really bummed when they closed!

  17. Joshua Butler says

    October 24, 2018 at 5:35 pm

    Who was the brilliant marketing mind behind the genius that is Geoffrey’s Toy Box?

    Find him and fire him. He is clearly too far removed from today’s generation to think that name is going to solve the problem of eCommerce being more suitable, convenient, and enjoyable than battling the decline of morality in large numbers at huge over-priced box stores fully of highly-inflated, albeit name-brand, plastic encapsulated garbage.

    Better would have been Toys-R-Online.com or something Offer free site to store options, free delivery for purchases over 35 dollars. You’re going to have to compete with Wal-Mart and Amazon… who sell the same junk but with more incentives or less mark-up.

  18. Winona says

    October 25, 2018 at 3:50 am

    We could give them the benefit of the doubt, and believe that they intentionally use the word “sore.” If enough people are unhappy with the name change, it could be prophetic.

  19. Cheryl says

    October 25, 2018 at 4:39 am

    I like it , as long as Geoffrey is there it still looks like a part of Toys R Us . So yes i like it .

  20. Katie-anne Jones says

    October 25, 2018 at 5:48 am

    So this my be happening over there but not over here in the UK

  21. janet a lyman says

    October 25, 2018 at 8:46 am

    very happy to see it coming back as there’s a big hole out there in the toy retail business and we desperately need you like now and people will once again have a choice in where to get their choice toys for their children, grandkids, and other members of their family as well as their own collections. so wonderful you are going to be here for one and all again! 🙂 🙂 🙂

  22. Frankie says

    October 25, 2018 at 11:59 am

    Is the Rivergate store in Tennessee reopening?

  23. Bob says

    October 25, 2018 at 1:21 pm

    Actually they did not spell sore incorrectly. They used the wrong word.
    Soar is to fly
    Sore is to be hurt and in pain

  24. bshu says

    October 25, 2018 at 5:00 pm

    The former employees all got screwed royally!! Will never shop there!!

  25. Deanna Johannes says

    October 25, 2018 at 8:19 pm

    Changing the name is not going to save them. They need to make the prices of their toys competitive with other stores. And seriously improve the way they handle Gift Registration lists for showers etc. When i went there to shop for a gift, they usually only had about 1/4 of the products IN the store. Always found that, not just once.

  26. Ruth says

    November 13, 2018 at 2:13 pm

    Whoever wrote this story, the line where it says…..” investors figured out a great way to make sales sore. You used the wrong word, it’s “soar” not sore.

  27. Renee Epperson says

    November 14, 2018 at 2:41 am

    Their former employees have been screwed out of their severance pay…orry, but I’d rather give my business to Amazon going forward.

  28. Renee Epperson says

    November 14, 2018 at 2:49 am

    Screwing former employees out of their severance pay is wrong…sorry, but I’d rather give my business to Amazon going forward.

  29. Mary Chorak says

    November 14, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    Yayay makes me happy

  30. Victor says

    November 14, 2018 at 6:16 pm

    Change the name and I’ll just take my business elsewhere.

  31. Jamie Harrison says

    November 15, 2018 at 12:16 am

    I think they should take care of there employees first. I know they are trying to stay afloat with this revival and the kids will like the Geoffery has been on vacation thing but the adults who will be making the choice of whether or not to shop at your stores know what it’s like to either be taken care of or screwed over by a company. This will greatly influence how we feel about your company. So make things square with everyone before you try to gussy up uour image.

  32. dave says

    November 22, 2018 at 1:12 am

    its not giving people a good feel about the new company by screwing the old employees . by the way why isn,t the old employees get a lawyers . or the govern or state helping .

  33. Abigi says

    April 17, 2019 at 5:01 pm

    I received over $100 in gift cards for toys r us as gifts for the birth if my son, only to be told I couldn’t use them. Are they going to honor them? If not, I’ll NEVER shop there & I’ll make sure to tell EVERYONE I know all about it. 

  34. Adina Hirschmann says

    April 19, 2019 at 6:44 am

    “Soar,” not “sore.”

  35. Diane says

    April 19, 2019 at 11:40 am

    I think they are giving themselves a bit of false hope with the name change.  It doesn’t matter to me what they name the store but name change or not they are going to end up in the same boat if they don’t drop their pricing some.  That’s what put them under in the first place, items too expensive that people didn’t shop there.  I know the few times I went in there to look for birthday gifts or Christmas gifts for my kids the sticker shock was so bad that I just left the store without buying anything.  Until that changes I believe they are just kidding themselves thinking a name change will solve all of their problems.

  36. sarah senn says

    December 4, 2019 at 8:20 pm

    were toy r us open at FRESNO

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