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Toys R Us to close over 180 stores in US

PhilipX20

PhilipX20

Android Enthusiast
A while ago I think I read that TRU employees in UK were saved from losing their jobs (TRU in UK paid a hefty debt that they had). However, US TRU employees aren't so lucky, 180 stores are going under so that's a lot of folks who are going to lose, you know. :-/
https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/01/24/toys-r-us-to-close-180-stores-across-the-us.html
As a kid and pre-teen I used to visit TRU a lot but nowadays, I rarely do. It's just more convenient to order via Amazon/eBay/etc than go to a store. If it weren't for the internet and how it is today, I'd say that in-store businesses and people would get a long a lot better than social media this, social media that. And so on.
 
The irony is that a big part of the reason the UK operation was in trouble was that it had made a very large loan to the US operation and then waived any repayment.

(Though all that talk of loans sounded like a corporate accountancy euphemism for the US operation raiding the UK one when it got into trouble, nearly bringing the UK one down while still ending up in Chapter 11 anyway).
 
I used to love going to TRU when my daughter was little...it was like nowhere else in terms of its size and diversity of toys, games, bicycles, etc. I'm afraid I must admit, however, that it's been years since I visited a TRU store. Amazon has made it so easy to buy/ship birthday presents and Christmas presents that I almost always fall back on it when I need gifts for my grandsons. So even though I love the stores, I'm part of the reason they're closing some of them.
 
Same thing here Moody. Raising four children, I single handedly kept them in business for a couple of decades. Loved the store for purchasing options and always thought their prices were in line. I shopped them far less with the grand kids and now that I've got a couple of great grand kids.... Amazon is my best friend. :)

I'm sorry to see them exit the market. Mostly for the lost job opportunities for many. It's the sign of the times. It's so convenient to shop online and then you factor in Prime shipping...
It's just to easy to buy online and impossible for brick and mortar establishments to compete.
 
olbriar said:
Same thing here Moody. Raising four children, I single handedly kept them in business for a couple of decades. Loved the store for purchasing options and always thought their prices were in line. I shopped them far less with the grand kids and now that I've got a couple of great grand kids.... Amazon is my best friend.
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I'm sorry to see them exit the market. Mostly for the lost job opportunities for many. It's the sign of the times. It's so convenient to shop online and then you factor in Prime shipping...
It's just to easy to buy online and impossible for brick and mortar establishments to compete.
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The only type of stores which will survive will be supermarkets, restaurants, fast-food joints and convenience stores. As for the rest, it'll be done directly from warehouses with customer support whether via live chat, email or phone (kind of hard to tell whether email or phone are worse than the other). I hate that PayPal's only way of getting in touch with CS is through phone but they speak clearly in English and take care of the issues promptly (called them a couple of times in the past).
 
olbriar said:
Same thing here Moody. Raising four children, I single handedly kept them in business for a couple of decades. Loved the store for purchasing options and always thought their prices were in line. I shopped them far less with the grand kids and now that I've got a couple of great grand kids.... Amazon is my best friend. :)

I'm sorry to see them exit the market. Mostly for the lost job opportunities for many. It's the sign of the times. It's so convenient to shop online and then you factor in Prime shipping...
It's just to easy to buy online and impossible for brick and mortar establishments to compete.
Click to expand...

Indeed. Once I found out about Prime on Amazon it was pretty much all over. I buy everything from cat litter to yarn on Amazon...it's just too damn easy!!
 
PhilipX20 said:
The only type of stores which will survive will be supermarkets, restaurants, fast-food joints and convenience stores. As for the rest, it'll be done directly from warehouses with customer support whether via live chat, email or phone (kind of hard to tell whether email or phone are worse than the other). I hate that PayPal's only way of getting in touch with CS is through phone but they speak clearly in English and take care of the issues promptly (called them a couple of times in the past).
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I've been wondering WHAT will happen with all the vacated real estate as more and more physical stores close. Are we just going to have tons of empty buildings? Can ANYTHING survive the online threat?
 
MoodyBlues said:
I've been wondering WHAT will happen with all the vacated real estate as more and more physical stores close. Are we just going to have tons of empty buildings? Can ANYTHING survive the online threat?
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Retail stores won't go away for good as they have loyal customers but small-time shops are more or less doomed. Cafes and bars also won't go anywhere either.
 
I never went to a toys r us store till I had kids. As a kid myself growing up I use to go to kaybee toy stores I remember going to the malls on a Friday or Saturday night in the 80's and going to Kaybee's because they were the only store within 100 miles that carried the amazing Spider-Man comics. There was a 7-11 in the town I grew up in but they mostly got X-Men, Batman and justice league comics. The nearest toys r us to me at that time was three hours away. We never went.
 
MoodyBlues said:
I've been wondering WHAT will happen with all the vacated real estate as more and more physical stores close. Are we just going to have tons of empty buildings? Can ANYTHING survive the online threat?
Click to expand...

yeah.. i also wonder what will happen to all these buildings... and the specially shaped buildings that are the unique hallmark of the businesses.. (ie.. BestBuy) .. who can use them?

but then.. here is what really makes me wonder...
all the construction of new shopping strips .. many many many!!!

there is going to be a overstock of retail spaces....
 
LV426 said:
That's sad. Maplin has been an established business for a long time. Admittedly though in recent years they seem to have lost their way a bit.
I suppose more casualties to the online shopping revolution.
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Yeah, if I can't find exactly what I want electrical related, I'll always pop over to Maplin. Do you remember Tandy? They sort of remind me of them (that's who my dad always compares them too anyway).

I think they're claiming Brexit is a factor in what's happened.
 
El Presidente said:
Yeah, if I can't find exactly what I want electrical related, I'll always pop over to Maplin. Do you remember Tandy? They sort of remind me of them (that's who my dad always compares them too anyway).

I think they're claiming Brexit is a factor in what's happened.
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Really? Yes I do remember Tandy. Looks like they still have an online presence selling electrical components. I guess the spirit of Maplin will continue, doing the same.
 
Yeah, where am I going to go now, to view the Lego sets? Don't say Legoland, the admission price is far too expensive.
 
LV426 said:
Really? Yes I do remember Tandy. Looks like they still have an online presence selling electrical components. I guess the spirit of Maplin will continue, doing the same.
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I guess your Maplin is our Radio Shack. I used to love to hang out there.
LV426 said:
Don't say Legoland, the admission price is far too expensive.
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I refuse to pay the advertiser for the commercial. Anyone going into legoland should be in bare feet. ;)
 
I think the writing's on the wall for high street estate agents too. Can't understand how they're still in business.
 
mikedt said:
I did buy a Raspberry Pi 3 from Maplin last year, that I'm using for Kodi.
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Snap. Also got an IR receiver for the Pi, and conveniently using a spare TV remote to control Kodi. Media centre for virtually no money!
 
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