For a lot of folks in Peoria, Illinois, the sign alone is enough to bring back a flood of memories. Toys R Us is open again at Northwoods Mall, and it opened its doors on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
The store sits on the mall’s lower level, as the opening day report describes, and it arrives just in time for the busiest shopping stretch of the year. Julie Revallo, the mall’s general manager, says the town has been waiting a long while.
“Everybody Missed It” Says The Mall Manager Who Watched The Store Disappear
Revallo summed up the feeling in one sentence. “The well-known store had been in Peoria for many years and then all of a sudden, left and everybody missed it,” she said.
The Peoria store closed in 2018, part of a wave in which the chain shut hundreds of locations. For families who made a yearly trip to wander the aisles, it felt like losing a landmark.
Now the chain has begun reopening some of those spots, and Peoria is one of them. That makes Northwoods Mall part of a comeback story that is playing out in towns across the country.
Barbies, Legos, Puppy Calendars And Sports Balls Fill The Lower Level
So what will you find when you walk in? The store carries Barbies, Legos, coloring books, puppy calendars and sports balls, a mix that covers everything from stocking stuffers to bigger gifts.
Geoffrey the Giraffe is back too. For anyone who grew up humming the jingle, that goofy, long-necked mascot is half the reason to stop in.
The shelves are a nice reminder of how much has stayed the same. A box of building bricks, a doll and a ball still do the job they did when many of today’s grandparents were kids.
“A Perfect Time Of Year” As The Holiday Rush Gets Closer
Revallo says the timing could hardly be better. “It’s it is a perfect time of year, it’s right before Thanksgiving, and Black Friday,” she said.
She also pointed to the season as a boost for the whole building. “And then with Christmas around the corner it’s just a new excitement for the mall,” she said.
Mall leaders hope the returning store sparks nostalgia and draws more foot traffic to the mall overall. A familiar name like this can bring in shoppers who may not have visited Northwoods in years, and those shoppers often stop at other stores along the way.
It is easy to see why a toy store holds such a special place in a town. Many parents remember pushing a cart through the aisles with a wish list in hand, and many kids remember the thrill of being allowed to choose one thing.
That kind of memory is exactly what mall leaders are counting on as shoppers walk through the doors this month.
A Short History Of The Toy Chain That Would Not Stay Gone
Toys R Us was one of the biggest names in toy retail for decades. It filed for bankruptcy in 2017, and in 2018 it closed its U.S. stores, which is why so many towns lost their local location at about the same time.
The name did not disappear, though. A new Toys R Us store opened in 2019 inside the Garden State Plaza mall in New Jersey, a sign that the brand still had pull with shoppers who remembered it.
Since then, more stores have popped up, often inside other locations or malls instead of the giant standalone buildings of the past. The Peoria store follows that same pattern, tucked into the lower level of a mall rather than set apart in its own big building.
How To Make The Most Of A Trip Back To Your Old Toy Store
If you plan to visit with a child or grandchild, a little planning goes a long way. These simple steps can keep the trip fun instead of stressful.
First, set a budget before you go. Walking into a toy store with a child who has no limits is a recipe for a meltdown, so agree on a price or a number of items at the door.
Second, make it a tradition. Take a photo with the mascot, let the child pick one small treat, and talk about the toys you loved at their age. Kids love hearing that grandma had a favorite doll or grandpa saved up for a ball and glove.
Third, shop early in the season. Right now, shelves are full and crowds are small compared with the week before Christmas. Popular items such as Lego sets tend to thin out as the holiday gets closer, so buying in early November can save you a lot of running around later.
Fourth, check the box. Look at the age range on the package and the piece count, and think about where the toy will be played with. A big set with hundreds of small pieces is a joy for a patient eight-year-old and a headache for a toddler.
Finally, keep the receipt. Even a well-chosen gift can miss, and a quick exchange is easier when you have it in hand.
For the folks of Peoria, though, the real prize might be the walk down the aisle itself. After years without a toy store of this name in town, the lower level of Northwoods Mall now has a bit of childhood waiting for anyone who wants to step inside.
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