After disappearing from malls and shopping centers over the last few years, Toys 'R' Us is opening a new store at the Mall of America just in time for the holiday shopping season.
Six years after the beloved toy chain first filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and began shuttering its stores, Toys 'R' Us parent company WHP Global announced Monday it would open its second U.S. "flagship" store at the Mall of America. Its first flagship store is at the American Dream megamall in East Rutherford, N.J.
The two standalone stores will be in addition to the more than 452 Toys 'R' Us shop-in-shops located in Macy's stores across the country.
"After the success we've experienced with our first flagship at American Dream and shops inside Macy's, bringing Toys 'R' Us to Mall of America was a must," said Jamie Uitdenhowen, executive vice president of Toys 'R' Us at WHP Global, in a statement. "There is the perfect mix of entertainment and retail that makes it a highly trafficked go-to destination for families year-round."
The more than 11,000-square-foot Toys 'R' Us store will be located on the eastern side of the Mall of America on the first level near Old Navy and Forever 21. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the store Friday morning with grand opening celebrations Saturday and Sunday.
"Toys 'R' Us has played a role in creating special memories for so many of us," said Heather Brechbill Swilley, senior vice president of leasing at the Mall of America, in a statement. "We are excited to bring this playful and iconic brand to life at Mall of America for the next generation to enjoy."
Toys 'R' Us sought bankruptcy protection in 2017 as it shouldered billions of dollars of debt and faced renewed competition from retailers like Amazon and Target. Toys 'R' Us and its sister company Babies 'R' Us closed hundreds of stores throughout the United States.
In 2021, Toys 'R' Us opened a 20,000-square-foot store at American Dream, which is owed by the Triple Five Group that also owns the Mall of America. Last year, Toys 'R' Us launched in Macy's.
In September, WHP Global announced it would partner with the Go Retail Group to roll out more than 20 additional brick-and-mortar stores starting in 2024. The Mall of America store is the first to open in partnership with Go. Another store is scheduled to open in November at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
