Founding (1948–1957)

The company’s origins date back to 1948, when Charles Lazarus opened a baby furniture store called Children’s Supermart in Washington, D.C. Observing that parents returned frequently to buy toys as their children grew, Lazarus shifted his business focus from baby furniture to toys.

In 1957, the company officially adopted the name Toys R Us, featuring its now-famous backwards “R” to resemble a child’s handwriting. This playful branding became one of the most recognisable retail logos in the world.2

During the 1960s through the 1990s, Toys R Us revolutionised toy retailing. Major innovations included massive warehouse-style stores, thousands of toy products under one roof, competitive pricing, year-round toy shopping rather than seasonal sales, and strong relationships with leading toy manufacturers.

The company expanded rapidly throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Latin America. By the early 1990s, Toys R Us had become the world’s largest toy retailer, operating more than 1,400 stores worldwide and controlling roughly 25% of the global toy market at its peak.3

Toys R Us is famous for several iconic brand elements.

Geoffrey the Giraffe

The company’s mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe, first appeared in the 1960s and evolved into one of the world’s most recognisable retail mascots. He represents imagination, fun, childhood, adventure, and learning through play.

Famous Jingle

The retailer became internationally famous for its television slogan: “I don’t want to grow up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us kid.” The jingle became one of the best-known advertising campaigns in retail history and remained associated with the brand for decades.4

Toys R Us carries products across numerous categories, including:

• Action figures
• Dolls
• Building toys
• LEGO sets
• Board games
• Video games
• STEM and educational toys
• Outdoor toys
• Arts and crafts
• Plush toys
• Ride-on vehicles
• Infant toys
• Baby products (through Babies “R” Us)
• Collectibles
• Seasonal merchandise

The retailer stocks products from major manufacturers as well as exclusive and private-label brands.

In addition to toys, the company launched Babies “R” Us, a dedicated baby products retail chain offering strollers, cribs, car seats, feeding accessories, baby clothing, nursery furniture, and maternity essentials.

Beginning in the 2000s, Toys R Us faced increasing competition from Walmart, Target, Amazon, online retailers, and discount warehouse clubs. A leveraged buyout in 2005 left the company with substantial debt, limiting its ability to modernise stores and invest in e-commerce. Combined with changing consumer habits, these pressures led to declining sales.5

In 2017, Toys R Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States. In 2018, the company announced the liquidation of its U.S. operations, resulting in the closure of approximately 700 stores and the loss of more than 30,000 jobs. However, international operations in many countries continued because they were operated by separate companies or licensees.6

Despite the bankruptcy, the Toys R Us brand did not disappear. Ownership of the intellectual property transferred to Tru Kids, Inc., which has pursued a revival through new flagship stores, pop-up stores, shop-in-shop concepts, licensing partnerships, and e-commerce expansion. In the United States, Toys R Us-branded departments have also appeared inside Macy’s stores.7

Today, Toys R Us operates under various ownership and licensing arrangements worldwide. For example, Toys”R”Us Asia operates hundreds of stores across East and Southeast Asia. The Philippines operates through a licensed partnership with Robinsons Supermarket Corporation, with standalone stores and departments in Robinsons Department Stores.8

According to the company, its mission is to inspire children through the power of play by offering trusted toys, quality products, and engaging shopping experiences that support learning, creativity, and imagination.9

Toys R Us transformed toy retailing by introducing the large-format specialty toy store, offering an unprecedented selection of products and making toy shopping a destination experience. Although it experienced a dramatic decline and bankruptcy in the late 2010s, the brand remains one of the most recognisable names in the global toy industry and continues to expand through modern retail partnerships and international markets.10

1. Toys “R” Us
2. Inside the Rise and Fall of Toys ‘R’ Us | HISTORY
3. Author James Patterson Reminisces About His Surprise Side Gig: Writing the Toys “R” Us Jingle
4. How Toys R Us Succumbed to Its Nasty Debt Problem
5. No, Toys ‘R’ Us Isn’t Closing All Its Stores After Filing for Bankruptcy
6. Inside the rise, fall, and resurrection of Toys R Us, the chain that once commanded a quarter of the toy market
7. About Us – Toys”R”Us
8. About – Toys”R”Us
9. Toys ‘R’ Us | Company Overview & News
10. sec.gov