Toys R Us keeps coming back, and Springfield, Missouri, is the latest town to get a visit from Geoffrey’s old stomping ground.

A new standalone store is planned at Battlefield Mall, according to postings on the company’s own website and the mall’s site.

KY3 broke down the news in its report on the Springfield store, and it comes with a long history that many readers will remember.

A Tiny Toys R Us Already Sits Inside The Macy’s

Springfield shoppers are not starting from scratch. A small Toys R Us shop currently operates inside the mall’s Macy’s store.

The bigger store would stand on its own. Locals will also recall that the chain once had a full building at Battlefield and Fremont, which closed when the company filed for bankruptcy.

The Comeback Started With A Bankruptcy That Took Down Every U.S. Store

Toys R Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2017, carrying $5 billion in debt after years of declining sales. It closed all of its U.S. stores in 2018.

The brand returned in 2019 under a new parent company, Tru Kids Brands. In November 2019 it opened a nearly 6,000 square foot store at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, its first U.S. brick and mortar shop since the closures.

A second small store followed at The Galleria in Houston. Both closed in January 2021 during the pandemic.

A New Owner Brought “Air, Land And Sea” Plans

In March 2021, a brand management firm called WHP Global took a controlling stake. Later that year it opened a 20,000 square foot flagship at American Dream in New Jersey.

In 2022, hundreds of Toys R Us shops opened inside Macy’s stores around the country, which is the format Springfield has today. Macy’s reported that its toy sales in the first quarter of that year were 15 times higher than before the partnership.

In 2023 WHP partnered with Go! Retail Group to open more flagship stores starting in 2024, under what it calls an “air, land and sea” strategy. It has since opened an airport store at Dallas Fort Worth International and announced plans for cruise ships.

Chairman and CEO Yehuda Shmidman said the brand’s global footprint had grown more than 50% since the acquisition, to more than 1,400 stores and e-commerce sites in 31 countries.

California Is Getting One Too

Springfield is not alone. A new Toys R Us is also planned at Northridge Fashion Center in California’s San Fernando Valley, and the mall’s website lists it as coming soon.

The company’s website shows more than 30 standalone and flagship locations around the country. Fans reacting on social media asked for a retro toy section for adults who grew up with the brand.

Why Grown Ups Care So Much

For anyone who grew up in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, the store was a seasonal landmark. Kids circled toys in the holiday catalog, then begged for a trip to the aisles to see everything in person.

Adults still feel that pull, and retailers know it. Nostalgia is one of the strongest forces in the toy business, and a store with a familiar name can bring families through the door.

What Revivals Mean For Vintage Toy Hunters

Whenever a classic name returns to the mall, interest in the old items tends to follow. People start digging through attics, and flea market sellers notice the extra attention.

If you saved anything from the original stores, check what you have. Toys in their original boxes, unopened games and store displays are the pieces collectors look for.

Condition makes a big difference. A toy with its box, its manual and all of its small parts is worth far more than one missing pieces. Even a damaged box can still help, so avoid throwing packaging away.

When you sell, compare completed sales on auction sites instead of asking prices. Look at how similar items sold in the last few months, and keep photos of every side of the toy.

If you only want the memories, consider displaying a favorite on a shelf instead. A toy from your childhood, kept out of direct sun, can be a conversation piece that brings the grandkids to the shelf with questions.

Smart Holiday Toy Shopping

If you are shopping for grandchildren this season, a few practical habits will help, whether you buy at a big store, a mall or a thrift shop.

• Shop early for popular items. Hot toys sell out well before December.
• Check the age rating, especially if there are small parts that could be a choking hazard for little ones.
• Keep receipts and original packaging, which makes returns and exchanges easier.
• Look up recalls before you buy secondhand or older toys.
• If you are saving a toy for a collector, keep it sealed and out of the sun, because the box can be worth as much as the toy.

Collectors also pay attention to retail revivals like this one. Merchandise tied to a returning brand can become tomorrow’s nostalgia, especially if it is limited or only sold in certain stores.

No matter how the Springfield store turns out, the bigger lesson is that childhood brands rarely stay gone for good. If you loved the old Toys R Us, keep an eye out. It may be coming to a mall near you.

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