Toys ‘r’ Us to close 180 American stores

January 24, 2018

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More bad news wings its way from the States as Toys ‘r’ Us prepare to close 180 further stores out of the 1600 it currently operates.

ToyWorld Mag takes a closer look at this disappointing situation.

Toys R Us has announced it will shut about one-fifth of its stores in the United States in the coming months.

The news comes as the toy store chain tries to emerge from one of the largest ever bankruptcies by a specialty retailer.

The closure of about 180 US stores will begin in early February and continue until mid-April, chief executive David Brandon said in a letter on its website.

The company filed for bankruptcy protection just ahead of the crucial holiday season in the US and Canada to restructure $5b of long-term debt, casting doubt over the future of its 64,000 employees and nearly 1,600 stores.

All 83 Toys R Us stores in Canada will remain open, said president of the Canadian unit, Melanie Teed-Murch, in a letter to customers.

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Toys 'r' Us

SourceToyworld Mag

Mark Newbold

Exploring the galaxy since 1978, Mark wrote his first fan fiction in '81 and been a presence online since his first webpage Fanta War in 1996. He currently contributes to ILM.com and SkywalkerSound.com, having previously written for Star Wars Insider, StarWars.com, Star Wars Encyclopedia, Build The Millennium Falcon, Starburst Magazine, Geeky Monkey, TV Film Memorabilia and Model and Collectors Mart. He is a four-time Star Wars Celebration Stage host (the only podcaster to have appeared on every Celebration podcast stage since it began in 2015), the Daily Content Manager of Fantha Tracks and the co-host of Making Tracks, Canon Fodder and Start Your Engines on Fantha Tracks Radio.

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The Mandalorian and Grogu, announced as The Mandalorian & Grogu, is a Star Wars movie that started production in 2024. Directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, and Dave Filoni, it takes place between the events of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and Episode VII: The Force Awakens, focuses on the adventures of Din Djarin and Din Grogu, and will be a spinoff to the TV series Star Wars: The Mandalorian. The film was announced on January 9 that year on StarWars.com with a conceptual sketch by veteran illustrator Ryan Church, along with an announcement of a second season of the television series Star Wars: Ahsoka. A fourth season of The Mandalorian is also still in development.

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The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art celebrates the power of visual storytelling. Founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the museum explores how images move us and shape our collective memory. From Frida Kahlo’s self-portrait to Norman Rockwell’s scenes of everyday life to Charles White’s portraits of dignity. Each invites reflection. Each tells a story.

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- Advertisement -

More bad news wings its way from the States as Toys ‘r’ Us prepare to close 180 further stores out of the 1600 it currently operates.

ToyWorld Mag takes a closer look at this disappointing situation.

Toys R Us has announced it will shut about one-fifth of its stores in the United States in the coming months.

The news comes as the toy store chain tries to emerge from one of the largest ever bankruptcies by a specialty retailer.

The closure of about 180 US stores will begin in early February and continue until mid-April, chief executive David Brandon said in a letter on its website.

The company filed for bankruptcy protection just ahead of the crucial holiday season in the US and Canada to restructure $5b of long-term debt, casting doubt over the future of its 64,000 employees and nearly 1,600 stores.

All 83 Toys R Us stores in Canada will remain open, said president of the Canadian unit, Melanie Teed-Murch, in a letter to customers.