Toys “R” Us May Open US Stores

WHP Global (New York), a brand management company, announced it has acquired a controlling interest in Tru Kids, the company that purchased Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us in 2017, CNBC reports.

In addition to the 900 Babies “R” Us and Toys “R” Us branded locations in more than 25 countries including Africa, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, there are reported plans to open stores again in the U.S., ideally before the holiday season. These locations could also manifest as shop-in-shops, pop-ups, airport stores or flagships. No plans have been announced regarding the number of planned U.S. locations.

The Toys “R” Us brand was purchased by Tru Kids in Sept. 2017 after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Since that time, Tru Kids oversaw two Toys “R” Us pop-ups in the U.S., both of which closed due to poor mall traffic.

WHP’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Yehuda Shmidman said in an interview to CNBC: “We’re in the brand business, and Toys ‘R’ Us is the single most credible, trusted and beloved toy brand in the world … We’re coming off a year where toys are just on fire. And for Toys ‘R’ Us, the U.S. is really a blank canvas.”