Toys R Us bankruptcy filing?

FowlerBricks

My TRU only has the BOGO 40% for Brickheadz, as well as Sensei Wu Brickhead for $7 and First Order Battle pack for $13 in one spot. There were three other places with the Battle Pack that were still $15. Nothing too exciting yet.

Bosstone100

It's not really rocket science that TRU was going to be in trouble. That was a conversation on here maybe five years ago? We knew the debt was coming due this year.

madforLEGO

Bosstone100 said:

It's not really rocket science that TRU was going to be in trouble. That was a conversation on here maybe five years ago? We knew the debt was coming due this year.

7 or 8, then 5 or 6, then 2-3 years ago. My brother put it best to me last night "Who would have thought that TRU would be gone before KMart?"

SumoLego

I think it's a matter of sematics at this point.  K-Mart/Sears is closing (or closed) 60 more stores in Jan/Feb of 2018.

Does it really matter if the avalanche is coming at 80mph or 100mph?  

gmonkey76

So I've been to two TRU looking for #30526 (still no luck). Both stores were not on the official closing list. On the white coming event board one had only two events planed, but the other had a full board. I saw maybe six employees at both stores, and no other customers. It wouldn't surprise me if TRU didn't make it to 2019. I only go there to get the TRU only polybags, and LEGO events. It will be sad for their employees, but there's better places to get LEGO from. 

77ncaachamps

CaptainRogers said:

In related news, I stopped by TRU last night and they had BOGO 40% off Brickheadz, plus #30356 City Hot Dog Stand was in stock. I picked up one along with their Star Wars exclusive Brickheadz.

They had a SW Exclusive Brickheadz?!

CaptainRogers

77ncaachamps said:

CaptainRogers said:

In related news, I stopped by TRU last night and they had BOGO 40% off Brickheadz, plus #30356 City Hot Dog Stand was in stock. I picked up one along with their Star Wars exclusive Brickheadz.

They had a SW Exclusive Brickheadz?!

Yeah, Phasma and Finn are TRU exclusives.

OUWxGuesser

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/13/toys-r-us-is-preparing-to-file-its-liquidation-plan-with-the-court.html   Adios   (Sorry missed the earlier post with similar story)

teal93mr2

^That's too bad.  I had high hopes for at least another year or two. I have $80 in rewards dollars that I have been trying to spend for months but can't seem to find anything!  Guess I better pull the trigger fast since there are no guarantees they will accept that form of payment during liquidation.

Chubbles

Better to use now than regret later

77ncaachamps

CaptainRogers said:

77ncaachamps said:

CaptainRogers said:

In related news, I stopped by TRU last night and they had BOGO 40% off Brickheadz, plus #30356 City Hot Dog Stand was in stock. I picked up one along with their Star Wars exclusive Brickheadz.

They had a SW Exclusive Brickheadz?!

Yeah, Phasma and Finn are TRU exclusives.

Weird. Didn't know that. Glad to have picked them up from Lego [email protected] for $5.99 clearance months ago.

77ncaachamps

Went to a TRU that is scheduled to close.
They were supposed to close at 9:30 tonight.
A little before 8 a guy was locking up the door saying they're closing early and asking people to leave.

That's NOT a good sign.

Then a got a text from a friend saying TRU is liquidating inventory starting tomorrow.
Hit up the deals ASAP!

PapaBear

I've heard they are starting plans for liquidation, but not actually liquidating yet.  Can anyone confirm any liquidation sales yet?

Astrobricks

I thought they were already liquidating the stores that were already announced. Are they going to start chain-wide now?

PapaBear

they will be liquidating all US stores, we just don't know how soon

CaptainRogers

Man. Sure hope we can at least find some deals on the way out.

teal93mr2

I think Lego deals will be mostly a miss. All will be gone by the time discounts reach 50% off except for the ones nobody wants. Nobody has really reported any good finds at the current store closings. Its possible that could change if they are not shifting stock to open stores but I wouldn't hold my breath. 

teal93mr2

Chubbles said:

Better to use now than regret later

I know it, wish there was some Lego I wanted other than the Arkham asylum. These new sets are just are not interesting enough for me. Not really trying to shell out $70 though. Wanted to walk out with paying nothing just like I did a few years ago when I got the #10937 from the Lego store. 

Onebricktoomany

 I'm saddened by this news.  :(

JooTog

A little tiny bit of hope?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/toys-r-us-is-exploring-a-plan-that-could-keep-200-stores-open-even-after-liquidation/ar-BBKdzDe?li=AA4ZnC&ocid=spartanntp

I wonder if Amazon is interested... just kidding... or not.

pharmjod

I think it makes more sense for Amazon to buy the toys r us brand at least more than it did for them to buy whole foods.

Chubbles

Amazon is opening up book stores again, maybe they scoop toys r us on the cheap and open a few toy stores as well

jmeninno

It's definitely a done deal.  Just got some inside scoopage.  Goodbye, TRU.  I for one will miss you.

pharmjod

I'm just curious to see how it goes down. If they go quick I could see some great deals on LEGO if you are in the right placr, right time. 

Tkatt

Just yesterday I was at one of the TRUs not slated to close. They had a sign on the front door saying how they would be remaining open and looked forward to serving customers for years to come. I'll have to go by there tomorrow to see what they've changed that sign to. 

I'm also glad I opted out of the two year protection they offered on some stuff I bought from one of the closing stores.

PapaBear

^Lol

Amazon will probably buy a retailer at some point, but I don't think it will be now.  TRU stores are too run down for Amazon's brand and the two don't have good history with each other.

TyresOFlaherty

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/money/toys-r-us-is-officially-shutting-down-all-of-its-us-stores/ar-BBKebZS

Holy crap, goodbye, TRU.......

Gman

So many prominent deaths in 2018. Billy Graham, Stephen Hawking, and now Toys R Us.
(I know it’s a store not a person but whatever)

2018. Don’t you dare touch Stan Lee!

Polyphemus

Looks like the closures will eventually go global...

http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/were-putting-a-for-sale-sign-on-everything-toys-r-us-to-shut-down-all-us-stores/news-story/efe53f03b70229ccbb57a5427cc81a20

jnscoelho

The manager for the French and Iberian Peninsula (Portugal + Spain) recently (this week or last one) said that they are doing well and not planning to close, but it could just have been a dodge.

PapaBear

Gman said:

2018. Don’t you dare touch Stan Lee!

Inappropriate comment removed.

jnscoelho

About TrU in the Iberian Peninsula:
https://www.sapo.pt/noticias/economia/toys-r-us-estamos-a-trabalhar-para-preservar-_5aaa6e72007f81165ae627b1

It's in Portuguese but you can use the option to translate and you get it in what seemed pretty good English. I only read a few words post-translation, though. Hehehe

scotty12

My closest TRU is an hour away but I stop in to browse quick when I'm in town for a doctor appt....but I was there on Tuesday and while I was waiting to checkout the guy at the front desk answered two phone calls and his reply to each one was "were not closing, that's just a rumor".  He must have been crushed when he showed up to work on Wednesday.

PapaBear

PapaBear said:

Gman said:

2018. Don’t you dare touch Stan Lee!

Inappropriate comment removed.

Are you serious?  I didn't realize sexual assault was inappropriate.  Go on covering up abuse though.  Jesus, with everything that's going on too.

Ma1234

Fully expect somebody will come in and save some of the business. It's too important to the toy industry. MGA has already indicated interest. It will be a shell of itself, but I don't think Toys R Us will go away. The liquidation process will allow a buyer to come in and get it for a relative bargain than would have been possible before. 

Game_on

Sad to hear of them being shut down.  
It was one of my favorite stores to shop in when I was younger. 

monkyby87

PapaBear said:

PapaBear said:

Gman said:

2018. Don’t you dare touch Stan Lee!

Inappropriate comment removed.

Are you serious?  I didn't realize sexual assault was inappropriate.  Go on covering up abuse though.  Jesus, with everything that's going on too.

Don't act so righteous.  There was no place for your comment here.

jnscoelho

monkyby87 said:

PapaBear said:

PapaBear said:

Gman said:

2018. Don’t you dare touch Stan Lee!

Inappropriate comment removed.

Are you serious?  I didn't realize sexual assault was inappropriate.  Go on covering up abuse though.  Jesus, with everything that's going on too.

Don't act so righteous.  There was no place for your comment here.

There are plenty of off topic comments everywhere in this forum that are not removed. And I didn't see anything wrong with his humorous comment. 

PapaBear

monkyby87 said:

PapaBear said:

PapaBear said:

Gman said:

2018. Don’t you dare touch Stan Lee!

Inappropriate comment removed.

Are you serious?  I didn't realize sexual assault was inappropriate.  Go on covering up abuse though.  Jesus, with everything that's going on too.

Don't act so righteous.  There was no place for your comment here.

I'm not righteous at all, but removing a simple comment on someone I loved who allegedly abused a few nurses seems almost suspicious.

juggles7

With a few exclusions, like Star Wars, most of the construction toys, including Lego, are 40% off, at least in my local TRU in Florida. It's one of the stores that's been slated to close, and the sale's been going on 3-4 weeks. I shouldn't have relied on this forum to keep me posted. Got there today to find most of the Lego gone. So don't wait any longer. Go look around. They accepted my $20 worth of Rewards points today, by the way. 

mh3490

Went in to my local TRU wanted to cash out my 20 bucks in reward points had my 2 brickheadz and a cmf when I got to the register the lady just put the stuff in a bag and said have a nice day couldn't believe it 

Oubird

My TRU still has yellow dots on all $100 plus sets, rest is 40% but nothing great.  Cashier says price drops happen on Thursdays,  this is a store in clearance since beginning of closings btw

datsunrobbie

I'm still hoping somebody comes in and buys TRU and keeps the chain going. A LOT of new toys get their start at TRU before getting picked up by other chains. And losing TRU may also affect the clearance policies at their competitors. After all, there's no need to beat TRU's price when there is no TRU.

prevere

I would love to see Target pick up the freebie events. I’ll miss those.

JooTog

Just walked out of the local TRU store (Mission Viejo, CA). No signs of any kind. No sales on anything outside the typical offers here and there. Quite a few people as usual.
Overall, it felt “normal”.

77ncaachamps

JooTog said:

Just walked out of the local TRU store (Mission Viejo, CA). No signs of any kind. No sales on anything outside the typical offers here and there. Quite a few people as usual.
Overall, it felt “normal”.

I have one near me like that.

I think it's a matter of time.
The signs will go up soon...

Astrobricks

datsunrobbie said:
I'm still hoping somebody comes in and buys TRU and keeps the chain going. A LOT of new toys get their start at TRU before getting picked up by other chains. And losing TRU may also affect the clearance policies at their competitors. After all, there's no need to beat TRU's price when there is no TRU.

I hope so too, but beating TRUs prices has not been too hard the last few years.

dehnehsu

The Sunnyvale, Calif. Toys R us was packed. Most likely with people thinking clearance prices were starting. No great LEGO deals. Everything scanned at the typical 15% over retail. 

77ncaachamps

After reading some articles, I'm convinced it was NOT TRU's fault for not keeping up with Amazon, improving their web presence, and modernizing their stores.

They couldn't do anything because of the debt the private equities saddled them with.

Of course, they got bought out by a PE because of their retail problems (that they could own) but you can't expect a company trying to go uphill by putting more tonnage on their back.

http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/15/news/companies/toys-r-us-closing-blame/index.html

That's why it's sad that TRU probably never got a fair chance to re-invent themselves.
Maybe I'm wrong with my assessment. If so, I'll blame my sentimentality with this big box.

Tkatt

Remember KB Toy's? They were taken over by Bain Capital just like ToysRus. They went down much the same way TRU is going down now.