The First Toys “R” Us photo via Toy”R”Us Canada Pinterest He would go all-in on toys.Įxactly 10 years later, Lazarus would open a story that would forever change the lives of millions of kids. Lazarus was smart enough to see an excellent opportunity. They are generally cheap, kids get bored with them and want something new, and they tend to break quicker, leading to repeat purchases. The furniture was so solid that it seemed to last indefinitely. And this was the 1940s, so they made items a lot better than the crap we have today. You buy a high chair once, and that’s it. There were a few reasons for this: the first is that baby furniture is something you tend to only buy one of. After a while, the toys started to be the better seller. Besides the baby furniture, it was natural that they would sell a small line of baby and children’s toys. The company was called Children’s Bargain Town. This was a smart business idea, as the post-war baby boom made for an endless amount of business. Lazarus had started a baby furniture company in 1948. The Origins of Toys “R” Usīefore researching this, I did not know that Toys “R” Us went back to the late 1940s. Just being in there and seeing some of these iconic toys in person was a thrill in itself.īut how did this iconic company go from a pivotal part of our childhoods to bankruptcy? Shouldn’t a toy store last forever? This is a look back at the rise and fall of the iconic Toys “R” Us. There were many toys I adoringly looked at that I knew I would never get, but even just the idea of getting them was a thrill. Getting to go to Toys “R” Us before birthdays, or during the Christmas season, was like the land of possibilities. Just walking in there was a sensory overload. But to me, it seemed like there could be no bigger thrill. It helped boost the popularity of many toys from the 70s to the 90s, but the company would experience hard times and declare bankruptcy in 2017.Īs a kid, I never got to go to Disneyland. Toys “R” Us started in 1958 and became the defining toy store for decades. It was a seminal part of our childhood and stepping through its hallowed doors led us to a fantasy world of the greatest toys and products we dare not even dream about.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |