Toys R Us announces plan to add 120 new U.S. stores amid rising adult toy purchases

Toys R Us said on Thursday that it will open 120 new stores across the United States, the largest expansion the chain has undertaken in nearly a decade. The rollout follows data from market-research firm Circana showing a 17% rise in U.S. toy sales in the first half of the year, the strongest performance in six years, with adults accounting for 55% of purchases, especially in trading cards and collectibles.

The new locations will include sites such as Woodbury Commons and The Westchester in White Plains, New York, and the Mall at Short Hills in Millburn, New Jersey. Stores are expected to carry major brands like LEGO, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Pokémon and K-pop-related merchandise, and some will feature cafés and candy shops, according to the company.

"The toy industry is incredibly strong," said Jamie Uitdenhowen, executive vice president of WHP Global, which owns the Toys R Us brand worldwide. He added that the consumer base now extends beyond children, noting that "'kidults' have become an important part of the category."

Former Toys R Us chief executive Gerald Storch observed that mall operators favor having toy stores on site because they keep shoppers inside the mall rather than driving traffic to big-box retailers. The expansion is being managed by Go! Retail Group, which began opening smaller-format stores last month. Currently, the chain operates about 40 stand-alone stores, including flagship locations in the American Dream mall in New Jersey and the Mall of America, as well as roughly 400 shop-in-shop locations inside Macy’s stores.

The planned increase will bring the total number of U.S. stores to around 160 in the coming weeks, a fraction of the 750 outlets the chain operated before its 2017 bankruptcy and subsequent closure of all U.S. stores.