The Energon Pub

[Wireless_Phantom]

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[WreckerJack]

how does liquidating stores and inventory help lenders?

IIRC its a way to sell off unused products to get 'liquid funds'. Think of stores like ROSS, TJMaxx and Nordstrom Rack that sell surplus goods. My theory is some of the overstock from TRU may wind up those places. I could be wrong.

[Me Grimlock King]

Well that's just Prime

[Jelze Bunnycat]

how does liquidating stores and inventory help lenders?

IIRC its a way to sell off unused products to get 'liquid funds'. Think of stores like ROSS, TJMaxx and Nordstrom Rack that sell surplus goods. My theory is some of the overstock from TRU may wind up those places. I could be wrong.

Basically anyone who wants to buy those goods is fair game. A step in the bankruptcy trajectory is to asses value of possessions, with movable stock as a primary focus. Once that is sold off either via sales in store or overstock to other companies, the real estate is next, which may take a while longer. It all depends on who shows interest in picking up a particular lot, it's a case by case basis, like one company buys up the lots in a particular city, another buys all the lots on East coast, and so on. I'm seeing it happen a lot back home in the Netherlands, with department stores and supermarkets biting the dust left and right.

Thankfully, the move to close up shop was an anticipated possibility so there are no exclusives in the pipeline: the future Movie MP figures and other normally TRU exclusives have been relegated to other stores. Anybody remember KB Toys with their exclusives close to bankruptcy in 2005? Nightmarish.

[leokearon]

Kind of stupid of Hasbro to give a store in financial trouble and now could be closing a lot of exclusives. Maybe this might be a lesson and finally stop store exclusives

[Rated X]

Funny how an American company decides to say f**k America after they established their brand in foreign countries. As much as I will miss the exclusives, I say f**k em and their overpricing. Why dont they just dump babies-r-us instead? Good luck in Australia with your $250 Trypticons and $50 voyagers.

[dragons]

If anyone has any news or theories on what might happen to the Canadian stores please let me know, I really hope they don't close down because it's my main supplier for transformers

Its main supplier for any toy there selection is bigger than walmart they even sell some Japanese stuff dbz naruto and other anime stuff

[Emerje]

The most frustrating and expensive place to buy toys is closing.

I don't have much in the way of childhood nostalgia going there and as an adult I've only known them as a huge headache so I really can't say I'm going to miss them. I'd go as far as to say I'm glad they're going away, now I don't have to drive 75 miles in hopes of finding an exclusive.

Emerje

[Acesmcgee]

If/when they go from the U.S. I won't miss the prices, but I will miss the experience. There is something so fun about walking into that place as a collector and seeing all that their can be to collect strewn about you. When you go in with your kids, there is a very Lion King type moment in my head when that door opens and my kids walk in with me (at least when my son was younger, now he's too cool for toys at 17, but at 9 my daughter still fits the bill) and you just want to say "All that the light hits could be yours".
It's so fun to see kids eyes afire with awe, want, desire of the toys as you walk around, even if all your doing is picking up someone else's birthday gift. I'm laughing to myself remembering my wife admonishing me as well as the kids "We are only here to get a birthday gift, don't go giving me puppy eyes and asking me for anything, that goes double for you Mr. Walsh" So yeah, if it goes, I'll miss it for a couple of reasons, but nothing that won't live in my memories, until senility sets in at least.

[griftimus prime]

it wont be a surprise when it happens.

[That_Guy]

I'm more sad about the experience as well. The one in Clearwater and Citrus Park aren't very good at stocking up Transformers. What I will miss the most that is more recent; taking me three year old son to the section they started up during the holiday season where kids can play with various toys. His excitement about it and playing with him there outside of the house was fun. Guess it's more trips to Barnes and Noble (he LOVES the Thomas the Train set up)....unlike Toys R Us lately, they actually HAVE trains to play on the tracks. As for Transformers, I've been finding more at Think Geek and even Patrick AFB at the Exchange they have Trypticon for 112.00 bucks. Haven't really been collecting anyway ever since I sold my entire collection to Big Red Head Comics.

[Cyber Bishop]

I have shopped at TRU for years, I remember the days when they had more chains like Lionel Playworld and children's Palace (non mall stores) and prices were a lot better. I do have fond memories of buying some TF's from TRU like the original Fort Max and Scorponok. Unfortunately recently If I have purchased more than 3 items from TRU a year unlike when I used to get at least 50 - 75% of my toys from them as they are too damn expensive now, and I can get the toys other places. If I visit the only local store once a month I am lucky as lately I have gone 2 - 3 months without stepping foot in one of their stores.

[Kyleor]

Judging by their previous decision making choices, poorly handled/run liquidation is probably what they'll go with. If only they could dump the upper/middle management dead-weight and only keep the people who are willing to do what's necessary to keep the company going.

I may have to shift to buying mostly online since I can count the number of different Transformers my local Wal-marts usually have in stock on one hand, and my local Targets are usually very slow to stock/restock, when the Transformers section isn't overtaken by 'IP of the month' toy overflows.

[ScottyP]

Just banked out my last two years' worth of Rewards R Us dollars. Not gonna chance it that they don't get honored during a liquidation.

[Tyrannacon]

I feel very conflicted over this because it's been such a staple of my existence for as long as I've been alive though I always felt they charged too much on the markup on the products they stocked. I am saddened by this though.

[reluctantyouth]

Ok. This is not good. What we need to happen is this...and hear me out here. Amazon buys Toys R Us. Amazon then closes some retail locations but gains leased warehouse space and stores. Amazon then able to offer Amazon pricing in store. This would be so awesome!!!

[Flashwave]

how does liquidating stores and inventory help lenders? Aren't the locations leased? Are the stores locations owned? Selling real estate would bring in money. Thanks for any answers.

its about cutting losses. Close the store and u
You lose payroll costs and and most of your ovwrhead until you can sell the buildings. Liquidate the product, and at the very least you can pay back to some of the creditors and not be hemmoraging on interest.

Kind of stupid of Hasbro to give a store in financial trouble and now could be closing a lot of exclusives. Maybe this might be a lesson and finally stop store exclusives

if by "stop" you mean "We won't get many of the cool figures that have come out over the years at all now", then yes. But not havong a Stpre for Exclusices doesnt mean they can magically stuff it into the main line.

[Shiroi Haze]

It's a shame indeed. But on the bright side, there will be less "exclusive" figures to worry about.

[leokearon]

Kind of stupid of Hasbro to give a store in financial trouble and now could be closing a lot of exclusives. Maybe this might be a lesson and finally stop store exclusives

if by "stop" you mean "We won't get many of the cool figures that have come out over the years at all now", then yes. But not havong a Stpre for Exclusices doesnt mean they can magically stuff it into the main line.[/quote]

Well it doesn't matter if they don't magically appear in the main line (which they should) since not everyone can get them in the first place.

[NTESHFT]

What about the bigger figures like titan clas (Predaking)? The only place I have seen those class figures is TRU. I don't know the reason why, but my local Wal-Mart's or Targets stock those. I didn't think those guys were actually "exclusives"....

[william-james88]

What about the bigger figures like titan clas (Predaking)? The only place I have seen those class figures is TRU. I don't know the reason why, but my local Wal-Mart's or Targets stock those. I didn't think those guys were actually "exclusives"....

They are not. You could order them from walmart.com or amazon.com with free shipping.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transformers ... n/55589165

[Megatron Wolf]

They better not shut them all down, TRU is the only store that carries neca figures. They have a ton of awesome stuff out this year and if TRU goes under me and many others will be screwed. As usual a greedy corporation is looking for the easy way out and screwing over the customer instead of doing real work and fixing things.

[Ultra Markus]

first KBtoys now possibly toys r us it feels like they are taking away my childhood memories

[featofstrength]

Um...Chuck E. Cheese is dead?

[lakebot]

Holy S*** this is troubling as all hell. Granted the decision isn't final yet, but it's still really concerning for TRU. One concern of mine is that TRU might be the only option for TF collecting for certain people. I also can't help but wonder what's going to happen to certain exclusives i.e. Studio Series Thundercracker. Are we going to get an alternative outlet for purchasing it, or are we just not going to see it as a result of this?

Thundercacker is already out at TRU, and was the last TRU exclusive.

Not quite available though. It being “out” and “available” are two different things. Especially if your store is really lazy about restocking. A lot of people may never see that thing.