Toys R Us Is Back In The UK! (Sort of...)

As of 2023, five years after it ostensibly closed down for good, Toys R Us is BACK in the UK. I decided to visit the first new Toys R Us in the UK, near York, to see what was going on. And if it's worth a visit...

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When Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy in 2017, then liquidated in 2018, we thought we'd seen the end of this brand forever. But you can't keep a good giraffe down. Through partnerships with Macy's (in the US) and WH Smith (in the UK), Toys R Us once again has hundreds of physical locations.

But are these locations actually worth visiting or just glorified concessions inside existing retail entities? I wanted to find out, so I checked out a couple of locations to get a feel for what the new face of Toys R Us looked like. Be sure to watch the video to find out what I made of them!

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Intro: Jingle Punks – All This Down Time (pitched down)

Music:
websurfer – Luxe
O c e a n S h o r e s – CLOSER
Cat Systems Corp – Rivers Cafe

[zoeyelh]

very sad. workers have gone to the trouble of stocking the shelves and made it look nice, for it to fall apart all over again.

[AzzaGYT]

I remember going to Toy's R Us with my dad to buy the new Gameboy Advance with the tattoo like pattern on the top. It was £101, I was very lucky. We also got a game for it, Pokemon Leaf Green. Still, one of the best days of my life.

[pewpewTN]

Being a little kid & going to Toys'R'Us & DZ Zone was always exciting.

[jaffacakecraigy]

All sorts of feels in this video mate, the Gateshead Store was not just a store it was an experience! I remember going as a kid was a big thing as we never had a car so getting there was either on the bus or with relatives, but it was just special. I later moved to Malton near York in 2013 and frequently visited the one in this video that is now a Home Bargains. I was just as excited as you to see what the one in WHSmith at Monks Cross would be like, it’s not the same but nice to have a Geoffrey Presence back :) great video mate!

[SwitchbackSylveon]

I can't remember the last time I was in Toys R Us, but I remember playing on the Wii U demos before I got my own and browsing the Lego section

[moreedcola]

I’m silently hoping for stand-alone stores to open, but I’m fine with what they’ve done now though.

[Spindler]

I'm sure many have shared their disappointment when they saw these little Toys R Us sections in a WHSmith as they don't exactly scream "Toys in the millions all under one roof" like the megestores many of us grew up with many years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if these little sections don't bring in as many customers as hoped and disappeared completely.

[josephhughes]

Just an idea but I think like we’re seeing with less popular chocolate and crisp flavours, the way that the brand may survive long term might have to be by popping up and going away and popping up again, a store called Hawkins Bazaar used to do that a lot where I lived as a kid.

[scrapdaddyservicesniagara]

They never closed down here in Canada.

[StarwarsFannick]

Well were going to see how the toys r us uk brand goes, but i do hope that doug putman picks up the brand name.

[adultmoshifan]

I've browsed the Toys R Us section of the WHSmith in Canterbury (near McDonald's, Greggs and the Cex where I bought my copy of Bio Motor Unitron) and I'm very impressed with what's there! If I had more money, I'd buy that Mario matching game that can be mistaken for Battleship! Also if I had more money, and more space, I'd buy Lilo & Stitch Monopoly! Glass half full I still have my Lilo & Stitch DVD from when I was a teenager and I own the Japanese dubs of 2 of its straight-to-DVD sequels! (I like a lot of Japanese things)