While Toys“R”Us has gone through some hardships in the past, including filing for bankruptcy in 2017 and 2019 and closing all of its U.S. stores by 2021, the brand has had a different trajectory in Canada. And now, that includes the opening of nine new 25,000 square-foot stores and two new 24,000 square-foot Babies “R” Us stores set to open this summer.
In The U.S., Toys “R” Us is owned by private equity firm WHP Global. That company announced in August 2021 that it would be bringing the brand back through 400 stores within Macy’s. The flagship U.S. location can currently be found at the American Dream shopping and entertainment complex in New Jersey.
Meanwhile in Canada, Doug Putman of Putman Investments, the man behind Sunrise Records, acquired the company in 2021 from Fairfax Financial, which purchased it in 2018. North of the border, 82 stores remained open at the time, all of which continue to operate under the Toys“R”Us banner. These new stores, opening thanks to Putman’s acquisition of the majority of the now closed Bed Bath & Beyond locations, will be added to that number.
The new stores, set to open this summer, will be complemented by new rooms + spaces with 1,500 to 2,500 square foot Toys“R”Us shop-in-shops within the home and décor stores. By the end of the summer, the total number of Toys“R”Us locations across Canada will number 107.
“The acquisition of the majority of Canadian Bed Bath & Beyond locations gave us the opportunity to open Toys”R”Us stores in new neighbourhoods across the country,” says Putman. “Our new locations will have an elevated in-store experience with bigger retail shops from our vendor partners.
“Our first two dedicated Babies”R”Us stores,” he adds, “will open in Edmonton in former buybuy Baby locations, filling a big gap left in the market when buybuy Baby closed.”
In addition to the new store openings, two existing Toys”R”Us stores in Burlington and Newmarket, ON will open new 6,000-square-foot expanded books and gifting sections for adults this June. These sections will feature gifts from brands like Umbra, Pavillion, and Giftcraft and have a selection of bestselling books and seasonal gifts.
“We create our product assortment based on what our customers demand,” says Nick Muriella, Vice President of Merchandising & Supply Chain, Toys”R”Us Canada. “For example, Toys”R”Us increased its books assortment in 2022 and now with our 10,000-square-foot book sections, we are Canada’s Big-on-Books Toy Store. With rooms + spaces now part of Doug Putman’s portfolio of retail brands, there will be even more opportunity to partner with our vendors to bring new and unexpected brands and products into our stores.”
Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us Canada are hiring 30 to 40 associates at each new store opening this summer. More positions will be added leading up to the holiday season. Interested candidates are asked to apply online.
The new Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us stores will be located in the following cities:
British Columbia
- Burnaby: Station Square, 6200 McKay Avenue (opening this summer)
- Kamloops: Columbia Square, 500 Notre Dame Drive (opening this summer)
- Victoria: Uptown Mall, 3600 Uptown Boulevard (opening in October)
Alberta
- Edmonton: South Edmonton Common, 2017 98th Street NW (Babies”R”Us only, opening this summer)
- Edmonton: West Edmonton Common, 8882 170 Street NW (Babies”R”Us only, opening this summer)
- Calgary: Brentwood Village, 3630 Brentwood Road (opening this summer)
- Calgary: Township Calgary, 80 Longview Common SE (opening this summer)
Ontario
- Nepean: Barrhaven, 3777 Strandherd Drive (opening this summer)
- Toronto: Lawrence and Allen Center (opening in October)
Québec
- Lanaudière: Galeries de Lanaudière, 540-570 MontéedesPionniers (opening in October)
Nova Scotia
- Halifax: 208 Chain Lake Drive (opening this summer)