The End of an Era

Toys“R”Us closing all of its stores in the Spring of 2018. Massive sales and clearance on toys, board games, etc.

We all know the feeling of excitement going into a Toys“R”Us. The probability of getting a new toy fills a child’s mind with happiness and joy. That feeling is now being taken away for the long time Toys“R”Us customers, that are now being forced to shop elsewhere for their toys, games, baby strollers, etc.

Toys“R”Us filed for bankruptcy late September of 2017. They recently began liquidating more than its seven hundred stores in the U.S. after efforts to reconstruct the business through bankruptcy failure,” according to a Forbes article “Toys“R”Us Files For Bankruptcy, But Will Keep Stores Open,” written by Lauren Gensler. This includes Babys“R”Us as well. Billionaire toy manufacturer Isaac Larian has reached out to Toys“R”Us and made an attempt to save the company by buying around two hundred of it’s U.S. stores, bidding $890 million, but the debt is too high and sales continue to decrease, therefore both stores are planning on closing by this summer.

In today’s world there is now an easy way to purchase toys and anything else for that matter. The online shopping method has increased over the years significantly, which makes my heart sad and subdued because the tradition of going to a store physically, is slowly fading away due to the choice of getting items shipped to your doorstep from Amazon, or any other online competitor. Although it is convenient to have that option at times, it is taking away from the stores ability to sell products in abundance as they once did before. This is basically what is happening to Toys“R”Us and Babys“R”Us.

My friend, junior Dulce Mendez said, “I feel sad because that’s basically our childhood.” Toys“R”Us closing means an end to a popular norm for many people that are my age, and older who’s childhood consisted of going to Toys“R”Us to look for new toys to later bug their parents about. My memories of going to Toys“R”Us are vivid. I remember going mostly on Sundays, after church with my family and looking at toys, which has always been a fun activity. My parents bought me my first Barbie Dream House from Toys“R”Us when I was seven. It’s a four foot wooden house, and I still have it stationed in my bedroom to this day. I use it as shelves now, but still it has been a big part of my childhood since I have had it for a long time. Another thing that I will remember about Toys“R”Us is the annual gift cards that customers would receive every year on their birthday through the mail. “I remember looking forward to it every year, and I would even try to snatch my siblings cards before they could see it,“ said Sebastian Acevedo.

With all of the technology infused products that have been surfacing today’s society, not only has it affected teens and young adults, but now has been set to target children. And it sort of happened unintentionally. Younger kids these days want iPads  instead of Legos, they want an iPhone instead of a Barbie doll. Social media and technological devices have influenced the youth so much that it is now affecting store sells, and directing them to bankruptcy failures.

The disappearance of Toys“R”Us will have an impact on long time customers and millennials, but most importantly it will have an impact on children who might not be getting as much play time using toys rather than someone who say, lived through their childhood without having much or any technological devices available so easily. And the sad thing is that the children of today and the next generation, won’t even realize it because the internet and technology will just keep on increasing and becoming the norm, that they would have to depend on it for entertainment.