Toys R Us To Reopen Some UK Stores Within Months, Four Years Since Closures

Toys R Us is set to reopen stores in the UK in ‘the next few months’ - four years after it went into administration. 

The toy retailer went bust in 2018, but now Geoffrey is eyeing up a relaunch and the brand has assembled a new team to oversee its comeback to the UK high street. 

Last year, Toys R Us’ Australian arm signed a licence agreement that would allow it to bring back both its digital and physical retail commerce back to the UK and it looks like it’s all go to get things going as soon as possible. 

Speaking to industry magazine Toy World, Toys R Us Australia chief executive Louis Mittoni, who is charge of the UK launch said: “I’m very excited to welcome over 100 years of retailing experience in our new team, who will lead the relaunch our iconic brand back into the UK market in the next few months. We have an amazing toy and baby buying team, which I believe is the best in the country.

“With this team now in place, we’re hitting the ground running and have been reaching out to the supply base to see with whom we can align on this amazing journey.”

This ‘new team’ includes staff members who have previously worked at Argos, Mothercare and Debenhams. 

Speaking back in October last year, Mittoni said the company was looking to ‘engage with the many loyal Toys R Us former customers and fans in the UK’. 

He said: “My team and I are looking forward to developing technical and commercial relationships with UK-based vendors and partners and to engage with the many loyal Toys R Us former customers and fans in the UK.”

Nineties kids were left devastated when news broke that the company had gone bust back in 2018 - and hearts were broken further when a photo of a sad-looking Geoffrey the Giraffe leaving an empty Toys R Us with his suitcase went viral. 

While an equally tear-jerking message on the Toys ‘R’ Us website read: “Thanks to each of you who shared your amazing journey to (and through) parenthood with us, and to every grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother and sister who’s built a couch-cushion rocket ship, made up a hero adventure, or invented something gooey. Promise us just this one thing: Don’t ever grow up. Play on!”

And it looks like we’ll have Geoffrey back to help us do just that pretty soon.