On the heels of my post about the big box bookstore customer experience, it seems worth noting that an erstwhile big box competitor to Amazon is mounting a return. Just in time for the 2022 holiday season, Toys R Us is relaunching with small stores within existing Macy’s locations.
It of course won’t be the same as the Toys R Us that marked so many of our childhoods. An absolutely essential part of the holiday season was receiving and repeatedly tearing through the big Christmas toy catalog. And walking into the big store dedicated entirely to toys was like, well, like being a child in a toy store.
But then that model wasn’t sustainable. Not the way Toys R Us was doing it at least. The stores often felt dingy, empty, and dated. Inventory towards the end felt thin. You’d go into the store far too often only to have to go to Walmart or turn to Amazon. The world of 2017 just wasn’t the world of 1997, and Toys R Us couldn’t — or wouldn’t — adapt.
But hopefully now it has. Hopefully it finds great success with its Macy’s mini-store model. Because younger generations should get to experience picking a toy in person. Because mailers featuring holiday toy selections should make a comeback. Because Geoffrey didn’t deserve his ignominious end. And dang it, yes, because of the nostalgia.