I told my readers to “stay tuned for three more parts to this sad series” in the footnote to Part 1 of Toys R Us closing down, a tale of the retail apocalypse. It’s time to follow through with the first of those three parts about the demise of America’s, if not the world’s, largest toy store chain. This second installment features the most comprehensive single video on the topic, Bright Sun Films’ Abandoned – Toys R Us.
After much request, today I wanted to take a deeper look into the worlds most famous and iconic children’s toy store that became a staple of millions childhoods, only to crumble in 2018. Lets take a look at Toys R Us.
This is a much more complete and unbiased account than CNBC gave in Part 1, which is why I shared it.
Stay tuned for Part 3 featuring Company Man and Part 4 starring Retail Archeology.
Modified from Part 1B of Toys R Us, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse — Bright Sun Films at Crazy Eddie’s Motie News.
Modern mall music: SPACE MAGIC スペース マジック – WASHINGTON MALL.
near where I live tended to look pretty abandoned the last couple years before closing. I avoid Black Friday like the plague, so I don’t know quite what business was like on the most important holiday shopping day of the year. Guessing those last few years were not impressive. When I say that a nearby Staples was in better shape before the company shuttered it is a testament to how awful local business really was for Toys R Us. Now the location is just an eyesore. Guessing someone will eventually sell the property, level the building, and put something else there. That part of town – once the center of commerce for the community – is slowly devolving into one that has pawn shops, and I suppose the location would be ideal for a cut-rate used car outfit. That being said, brick and mortar places aren’t exactly dying off here. What is happening is more openings of locally-owned establishments or small regional chains and something of a revitalization of the downtown. I can’t help but be an optimist I suppose.
The big names are dying because the CEO’s (often from the Wall Street revolving doors) have an inflated opinion of themselves believing they can do no wrong.
They try to force their model on the customer instead of looking at what the customer really wants.
The mid-level companies have to really compete and can’t afford $100M/year prima donnas.