Tru Kids Inc., which bought the retailer in a sale in 2018, confirmed that its two locations in New Jersey and Texas, which opened in late 2019, have closed permanently because of the pandemic.
“As a result of Covid-19, we made the strategic decision to direct our store strategy to new locations and platforms with better traffic,” a Tru Kids spokesman told CNN Business. They added that demand for the brand “remains strong” and that the company will continue to invest in it.
The Toys’ R ‘Us’ website remains operational and more than 700 stores outside the United States are still open.
The two stores took up less space compared to their predecessor, which occupied the suburbs of the United States. They sold fewer toys and focused on interactive, playground-like environments for brands. Ultimately, the plan was to open about 10 of them in shopping malls.
Like other retailers, Toys “R” Us was hampered by the closing of shopping malls last year and the change in consumer habits that led people to shop online or in large stores.