A giant addition is coming to American Dream in Bergen County, New Jersey: Toys R Us, which will open a two-story flagship inside the retail/entertainment center in mid-month, said parent WHP Global.
The first U.S. Toys R Us flagship store in its current iteration will feature a modern, two-level retail concept that spans 20,000 square feet, while harkening back to its origins. Visitors will shop their favorite toy brands, meet Geoffrey the Giraffe, find interactive experiences and product demonstrations and enjoy new branded elements like Geoffrey’s Café and ice cream parlor, two-story slide and more. The store will be located near the project’s Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park and DreamWorks Water Park.
“American Dream is a one-of-a-kind unrivaled retail center featuring massive entertainment experiences that make it an ideal destination for families. Debuting our first Toys R Us flagship here is a no-brainer,” said Yehuda Shmidman, WHP Global and Toys R Us chairman and CEO.
The toy giant once had 1,400 stores around the U.S., but facing increased competition from discounters and e-commerce as well as suffering the effects of a 2005 leveraged buyout, filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and shuttered all of its U.S. stores. Today, Schmidman said, the company has over 900 stores and e-commerce sites operating across 25 countries outside the U.S.
The American Dream location marks Toys R Us’ first standalone flagship store of the iconic and beloved toy brand in the U.S. It also operates a digital flagship with Macy’s and plans over 400 shop-in-shops slated to open inside Macy’s stores nationwide starting in 2022.
Opening mid-December, just in time for the 2021 holiday shopping season, This comes on the heels of Toys”R”Us opening its digital flagship store this year together with Macy’s and with over 400 Toys”R”Us shop-in-shops slated to open inside Macy’s stores nationwide starting in 2022.
“American Dream is a world-class destination with one-of-a-kind experiences and first-to-market entertainment/retail concepts, designed to delight a multi-generational audience,” said Don Ghermezian, CEO of American Dream. “Toys R Us sparks the same feeling of joy across multiple age groups. This powerful brand is the perfect addition to American Dream’s all-star lineup of entertainment properties and attractions.”
