Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

[william-james88]

The "side-by-side format" seems to be referring to stores with Toys R Us and Babies R Us under the same roof, correct?

Yes. I had not realized the distinction since, as the case states, every TRU in Canada is side-by-side, so thats all I have known ever sicne BabiesRUs existed in my country.

That means the plan is more like an expansion of TRU Canada into the US. Pretty nuts that we have 2 countries side by side and the plan for one is to call it quits, while the plan for the other is to expand.

EDIT:

Wait a sec...

"sell the Debtors’ equity interest in the Canadian operations"

AHA! This confirms what we were thinking all along, Canada is run 100% independently of the US, it's just that the US has ownership (plus, that wording doesnt even like like a 100% owneship). Like Proctor and Gamble and all the brands they own which can be sold to other bidders if the price is right (like they did with Sunny Delight).

[galvatron00]

The "side-by-side format" seems to be referring to stores with Toys R Us and Babies R Us under the same roof, correct?

Yes. I had not realized the distinction since, as the case states, every TRU in Canada is side-by-side, so thats all I have known ever sicne BabiesRUs existed in my country.

That means the plan is more like an expansion of TRU Canada into the US. Pretty nuts that we have 2 countries side by side and the plan for one is to call it quits, while the plan for the other is to expand.

Two countries side by side uniting with the side by side store format. Seems legit.

In other news, I'm super sad. Reading some of the responses to this thread earlier today hit me in the feels while I was walking the dog this morning. The dang catchy jingle. Getting the catalog (STILL!!) at Christmas time. All the memories over all of the years. I don't go to Toys R Us as much as I used to (once a month), but I still prefer going there to buy toys than going to Target or Walmart. I always see something there I didn't know was out from at least one toy line. They have the place to put those things that you don't see everywhere else. I'd lose my mind if TRU U.S. was stocked as well as TRU Canada. I think most other people would too. Dang it TRU and debt. Let this be a lesson to kids, don't accumulate debt.

[o.supreme]

Well hopefully now the ghost that haunts the Sunnyvale CA TRU can rest.

[Megatron Wolf]

Come on now we all know TRU doesnt look like that, stop playing with photoshop. But joking aside I stopped in a TRU today and was told that liquidation starts in a week or so, theres no exact date yet just an estimated time frame. Also the employees are more pissed then us so if you do go to a TRU be nice.

[MrBlack]

The "side-by-side format" seems to be referring to stores with Toys R Us and Babies R Us under the same roof, correct?

Yes. I had not realized the distinction since, as the case states, every TRU in Canada is side-by-side, so thats all I have known ever sicne BabiesRUs existed in my country.

That means the plan is more like an expansion of TRU Canada into the US. Pretty nuts that we have 2 countries side by side and the plan for one is to call it quits, while the plan for the other is to expand.

EDIT:

Wait a sec...

"sell the Debtors’ equity interest in the Canadian operations"

AHA! This confirms what we were thinking all along, Canada is run 100% independently of the US, it's just that the US has ownership (plus, that wording doesnt even like like a 100% owneship). Like Proctor and Gamble and all the brands they own which can be sold to other bidders if the price is right (like they did with Sunny Delight).

Interesting.

I hope this works out, not only because it would spectacularly bad for the toy industry for TRU to go under completely, but also because there's a good likelihood that at least one TRU around me would stay open (and likely have better stock than any individual store does now).

[tmthor]

If anyone ever wanted all the details on the Toysrus bakrutcy court hearing, well today is your lucky day since WFMJ.com got their hands on the 124-page filing in U.S. Bankruptcy court. It states the reasons as to why Toysrus has to start liquidating its stores right away, which incudes "2017 U.S. holiday sales [that] came in well below worst case projections". The sales were 250 Million less than projected.

Employees have been given a 60 day notice to employment termination, which means that they will at least be paid for 60 more days (regardless of whether or not the stores will remain open for 2 more months).

It is unsure if gift cards will be honoured since it is not part of the instructions but it is being urged by state governors.

What is part of instructions though, is the description of a deal Toys R Us is currently in the middle of. While a liquidation must happen, it is simultaneously working on a deal to sell 200 US stores along with their entire Canadian operations (which is a very hot commodity right now) to a some interested parties.

While the US operations are unatractive to investors, the lack of competition in Canada and overal better managed stores, have made those stores very profitable (to the point of having a surplus which went towards repaying debt owed by the US operations) and that has attracted several investors. So Toys R Us might survive afterall, but it would be a smaller company and a predominantly Canadian one. We have included the most important part of the 124 page document below, which illustrates this plan, but you can read the entire file here.

In the face of these extraordinary circumstances, further waivers of covenant
defaults are unobtainable. The B-4 lenders—the primary economic stakeholders with respect to
the U.S. collateral—have determined that the best way to maximize their recoveries is to liquidate
the existing inventory in all of the Debtors’ 735 remaining U.S. stores and begin an orderly
wind-down of the U.S. operations. To be clear, the Debtors are not precluding the prospect of any
going concern option for U.S. stores.

In fact, the Debtors have developed a potentially
value-maximizing transaction that would combine up to 200 of the top-performing U.S. stores
(primarily those operating under the side-by-side format similar to the stores operating in Canada) with a going-concern transaction for their Canadian operations. The Debtors are currently
engaged with certain interested parties, including the B-4 Lenders, regarding this transaction and
are hopeful that such a transaction can develop as part of the sale of their Canadian
operations

But because time is of the essence to mitigate losses and maximize recoveries to U.S.
stakeholders, the Debtors regrettably must move forward with implementing a wind-down while
simultaneously pursuing a going-concern transaction tied to Canadian operations.
Accordingly, by this Motion, the Debtors are taking the prudent and responsible
step of seeking authority to begin an immediate and orderly liquidation of their U.S. business and
to sell the Debtors’ equity interest in the Canadian operations.

In short, there is too much of an interest by investors to close Toys R Us Canada, which will instead be sold. What is unknown now is if the buyer will only buy the Canadian operations or also buy 200 US stores as part of the bundle. If that works out, and Canadian practices are applied to those 200 US stores, what you see below may be found in the US as well one day.

My TRU does look like that and I am in the USA

[o.supreme]

My TRU does look like that and I am in the USA

Nobody's TRU in the USA looks like that. That is WJ point. The ratio of TRU's in the US to Canada is about 8-to-1, and its population about 9 to 1. If in the midst of all the closures, by some miracle, even a fraction of the TRU stores in the U.S. somehow are saved, we could be looking at a much better selection, even if we have to go a little distance to look at them.

Also just for Grins and contrast, from a chain NOT closing, here was a walmart near me a couple of days ago. this is a bigger store near the center of Sacramento, where I've had good finds in the last year such as TR Overlord and most recently PotP Elita-1, now look at it...ughh...

[WreckerJack]

This is what my TRU looked like last time I was there. Aside from Dreadwind I didn't see anything worth purchasing. It looks stocked but its all the junk no one buys. It was really sad

[Cyber Bishop]

for some folks, it's about also holding it in your hands while purchasing it. While at the same time, not 100%, I don't trust shipping.

This

[-Kanrabat-]

All Canadians subscribed to TrU's newsletter got this:

http://email.toysrus.ca/H/v2000001622b1 ... 20b56deac7

March 15, 2018

To our valued Canadian customers,

Toys “R” Us, Inc. announced the difficult decision to seek court approval in its Chapter 11 proceedings to wind-down its business operations in the United States. Our team members in Canada are very saddened to hear of this outcome and we are all keeping our U.S. colleagues in our thoughts during this very difficult time.

In Canada, all 82 stores remain open for business to serve you, our customers, honouring all our policies, warranties, Baby Registry, Gift Cards and RClub loyalty programs without change. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure the iconic Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us brands live on for many generations to come in Canada.

Our team continues to work hard at strengthening our competitive position and making the improvements necessary to ensure that we have the products when, where and how you choose to shop with us. Our Canadian operations are continuing in the normal course and we continue to partner with the trend products you want from the brands that you trust.

For the past 34 years, we have proudly served Canada as the trend authority in toy and baby and we remain the champions of play and trusted advisors helping people become parents.

Thank you for choosing to say “yes” to shop and support Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us Canada! We are proud to continue to welcome you in Canada coast to coast in store and online at www.toysrus.ca and www.babiesrus.ca for all of your toy and baby needs.



Melanie Teed-Murch, President
Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us Canada

For now, Canada is safe...

[tmthor]

All Canadians subscribed to TrU's newsletter got this:

http://email.toysrus.ca/H/v2000001622b1 ... 20b56deac7

March 15, 2018

To our valued Canadian customers,

Toys “R” Us, Inc. announced the difficult decision to seek court approval in its Chapter 11 proceedings to wind-down its business operations in the United States. Our team members in Canada are very saddened to hear of this outcome and we are all keeping our U.S. colleagues in our thoughts during this very difficult time.

In Canada, all 82 stores remain open for business to serve you, our customers, honouring all our policies, warranties, Baby Registry, Gift Cards and RClub loyalty programs without change. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure the iconic Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us brands live on for many generations to come in Canada.

Our team continues to work hard at strengthening our competitive position and making the improvements necessary to ensure that we have the products when, where and how you choose to shop with us. Our Canadian operations are continuing in the normal course and we continue to partner with the trend products you want from the brands that you trust.

For the past 34 years, we have proudly served Canada as the trend authority in toy and baby and we remain the champions of play and trusted advisors helping people become parents.

Thank you for choosing to say “yes” to shop and support Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us Canada! We are proud to continue to welcome you in Canada coast to coast in store and online at http://www.toysrus.ca and http://www.babiesrus.ca for all of your toy and baby needs.



Melanie Teed-Murch, President
Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us Canada

For now, Canada is safe...

On the radio the bussiness guy said (he could be wrong) that the Canadian stores would have to absorb a percentage of the debt or "close down" and operate as a new branded company or purchase the name toys r us and a percentage of the debit he said no deals have been made yet and the debit issue would make them unattractive to investors. Also he said the story about the stores in the US is false...in a way as once the stores are sold to the liquidation companies the stores and all stock belong to them hence a buyer would have to act fast before the court puts it up to auction to said liquidators

Again he could be wrong but he was trying to explain what the legal mumbo jumbo meant. Also he said Bain and the rest would lose nothing in this deal.

[lakebot]

Very depressing. TRU has came in clutch on more than one occasion for me (its literally the only place that’s even bothered to stock the last three Titan-class figures on the shelves where I’m at). Got quite a few memories from TRU.

I keep seeing this claim about the titans and while its true that they put them in their stores, I dont see how that helps anyone.
Would americans pay 150$ if they see it in a store right now, rather than instead purchasing it for way less at walmart.com https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transformers ... n/55589165

Or amazon https://www.seibertron.com/transformers ... zon/40584/

Those are on sale now but we’re they when it was originally released? Secondly, with things like that, I’m not fond of the waiting for something to go on sale because that can burn you. As for preference regarding buying online or in store, I’d go the store route. I’m not saying that to be the bug in the soup either. I really don’t like having packages delivered. We really have people who swipe them. You are really gambling with that. And after having things arrive damaged, it just seems too much of a chance. If it’s small or inexpensive I could see me chancing it. Gonna have to for Predaking.

[chuckdawg1999]

The most important thing to remember is that 33,000 Americans are going to be out of work to start. Who knows how this trickles down to toy companies and other vendors.

[Acesmcgee]

Had a discussion with my 17 year old son about this topic actually. As stated above, the thing that he was actually mad at is that due to poor management and whatever else occurred to Toys R Us, so many people will be losing their jobs. It is terrible all about and a little odd, it's like losing that eccentric friend that you love, and no, the staffing at the TRU by me was never great, but the staff was. I never felt like I was annoying them, or that I was burdening them by shopping their. The one by me generally hired older folks and it was great, because they all treated my kids so nicely too. They laughed at the kids having fun and screeching at some toy or the other and were happy to help parents search for something for their kids.

[Emerje]

I haven't seen this posted yet, looks like TRU Canada got at least one bid this week. But is it a good idea for a toy company to own a major toy retailer?

Bid Submitted for Toys R Us Canada

The company is California's privately owned MGA (Bratz, Little Tikes) who's CEO and founder is a certified billionaire.

Emerje

[Chibi Starscream]

So here's to hoping we keep 200 TRU stores in the US.....

[Va'al]

Bringing us up to speed on the latest of the Toys'R'Us troubles, we now have both an official press release from the company, and an email sent to Canadian users of the country's chain of stores, both commenting on two sides of the issue that has been developing rapidly this past couple of weeks.

The press release, in fact, confirms with further detail what we reported in a previous article, about the international repercussions of the closure of all US stores, while also adding that a transition period of 60 days has been set up to develop a strategy that would allow to minimise that impact.

This also seems to be proven by the email shared by Canadian Seibertronian Kanrabat, in which the company confirms plans to maintain all stores open for as long as possible in the future. There are also some additional comments at this time about an alternative solution circulating, with regards to toy company MGA Entertainment directly acquiring the Canadian branches:

A California-based toy company says it is bidding for the Canadian operations of Toys “R” Us Inc., the U.S. industry giant that entered court protection from creditors last September. MGA Entertainment Inc. confirmed in an email Tuesday it has submitted a bid for the Canadian stores.


“Toys “R” Us Canada is a good business,” said MGA CEO Isaac Larian in a brief emailed statement. “They run it efficiently, and have good leadership. At the right price, it makes economical sense.”

The company, which owns brands such as L.O.L. Surprise!, Little Tikes and Num Noms, refused in a followup email to give further detail about how much it is bidding or whether it wants to buy the entire chain or parts of it.

A final note about these events, as rightly raised by another Seibertronian member chuckdawg1999: the closure and liquidation means that 33000 workers are losing their job in the US alone. And while the feelings towards the childhood company and memories are at everyone's mind's forefront right now, please also consider the employees who will be working their final shifts right now.

Press release:

WAYNE, N.J., March 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Toys"R"Us, Inc. today announced that it has filed a motion seeking Bankruptcy Court approval to begin the process of conducting an orderly wind-down of its U.S. business and liquidation of inventory in all 735 of the Company's U.S. stores, including stores in Puerto Rico. Toys"R"Us will provide more details about the plans for the liquidation of its U.S. stores and going out of business sales in the near term.

Toys"R"Us also announced that it is pursuing a going concern reorganization and a sale process for its Canadian and international operations in Asia and Central Europe, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Company's international operations in Australia, France, Poland, Portugal and Spain are considering their options in light of this announcement, including potential sale processes in their respective markets. The Company's stores in all these international markets are currently open and serving customers.

In connection with the sale process, the motion the Company filed with the Bankruptcy Court included bidding procedures for the Canadian operations. The Company also disclosed that it is engaged in discussions with certain interested parties for a transaction that could combine up to 200 of the top performing U.S. stores with its Canadian operations. While discussions continue on this potential transaction, Toys"R"Us is seeking court approval to implement the liquidation of inventory in all the U.S. stores, subject to a right to recall any stores included in the proposed Canadian transaction.

The previously announced administration of the UK business continues.

Dave Brandon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "I am very disappointed with the result, but we no longer have the financial support to continue the Company's U.S. operations. We are therefore implementing an orderly process to shutter our U.S. operations and will pursue going concern sales or reorganizations of certain of our international businesses, while our other international businesses consider their options."

Brandon continued, "There are many people and organizations who have remained in our corner every step along the way. I want to thank our extraordinary team members who helped build Toys"R"Us into a global brand. I also want to express my appreciation for my colleagues on our board who have continued to provide support to sustain the brand and our operations throughout the restructuring process. I would also like to thank our vendors who we owe a great deal of gratitude to for their decades of support. This is a profoundly sad day for us as well as the millions of kids and families who we have served for the past 70 years."

The Company and its advisors are working to minimize the impact of the U.S. liquidation on the Canadian and other international markets. As part of these efforts, the Company is implementing a transition services arrangement for the next 60 days and is developing plans for a potential shared service function to support the international operations going forward.

Additional information regarding the Company's restructuring process can be obtained by calling the Company's Information Hotline, toll-free in the U.S. and Canada at (844) 794-3476, or sending an email to toysrusinfo@PrimeClerk.com. Court filings and other documents related to the court-supervised process in the U.S. are available on a separate website administered by the Company's claims agent, Prime Clerk, at https://cases.primeclerk.com/toysrus.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as principal legal counsel to Toys"R"Us, Alvarez & Marsal is serving as restructuring advisor and Lazard is serving as financial advisor.

TRU Canada email:

March 15, 2018

To our valued Canadian customers,

Toys “R” Us, Inc. announced the difficult decision to seek court approval in its Chapter 11 proceedings to wind-down its business operations in the United States. Our team members in Canada are very saddened to hear of this outcome and we are all keeping our U.S. colleagues in our thoughts during this very difficult time.

In Canada, all 82 stores remain open for business to serve you, our customers, honouring all our policies, warranties, Baby Registry, Gift Cards and RClub loyalty programs without change. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure the iconic Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us brands live on for many generations to come in Canada.

Our team continues to work hard at strengthening our competitive position and making the improvements necessary to ensure that we have the products when, where and how you choose to shop with us. Our Canadian operations are continuing in the normal course and we continue to partner with the trend products you want from the brands that you trust.

For the past 34 years, we have proudly served Canada as the trend authority in toy and baby and we remain the champions of play and trusted advisors helping people become parents.

Thank you for choosing to say “yes” to shop and support Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us Canada! We are proud to continue to welcome you in Canada coast to coast in store and online at http://www.toysrus.ca and http://www.babiesrus.ca for all of your toy and baby needs.



Melanie Teed-Murch, President
Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us Canada

[Dr. Caelus]

Toys R Us is the closest I've come to getting a job since I became unemployed 3yrs ago. I guess I should be glad I didn't get the job...

[X3ROhour]

i was there when it opened
ill b there the day it goes.

You are 70??

no
i was there when my store opened
n 1984.

i met and shook hands with Optimus
&
Grimlock gave e a hug.

they had a mini parade of costumed hero toys ad dolls.



my heart hurts.

[o.supreme]

Very depressing. TRU has came in clutch on more than one occasion for me (its literally the only place that’s even bothered to stock the last three Titan-class figures on the shelves where I’m at). Got quite a few memories from TRU.

I keep seeing this claim about the titans and while its true that they put them in their stores, I dont see how that helps anyone.
Would americans pay 150$ if they see it in a store right now, rather than instead purchasing it for way less at walmart.com https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transformers ... n/55589165

Or amazon https://www.seibertron.com/transformers ... zon/40584/

Those are on sale now but we’re they when it was originally released? Secondly, with things like that, I’m not fond of the waiting for something to go on sale because that can burn you. As for preference regarding buying online or in store, I’d go the store route. I’m not saying that to be the bug in the soup either. I really don’t like having packages delivered. We really have people who swipe them. You are really gambling with that. And after having things arrive damaged, it just seems too much of a chance. If it’s small or inexpensive I could see me chancing it. Gonna have to for Predaking.

Same here. I jumped on Fort Max & Trypticon the first time I saw them, and paid the full $150.00 for both. Sure seeing them on sale online for as much as 50% off at times makes me wish I had waited, but hindsight...and all that. There is no guarantee items like this will go on sale, or be seen again. Heck, as it was with Trypticon, it was just a fortunate event I happened to look behind the customer service counter, I only ONCE saw a Trypticon on the shelf at any TRU in my area. There was a chance sighting at Frys about a month ago they had one for $110...but there's no way I could have predicted that. I'm determined to never again let the "Metroplex incident" (i.e. me not finding one)...ever happen again, especially now that 5 years later is selling the reissue at nearly 3X original price.

Now with TRU closing in the US I wonder how the heck I'm going to get PotP Predaking, hopefully HTS will have it for more than a few hours whenever it comes out.

[william-james88]

Very depressing. TRU has came in clutch on more than one occasion for me (its literally the only place that’s even bothered to stock the last three Titan-class figures on the shelves where I’m at). Got quite a few memories from TRU.

I keep seeing this claim about the titans and while its true that they put them in their stores, I dont see how that helps anyone.
Would americans pay 150$ if they see it in a store right now, rather than instead purchasing it for way less at walmart.com https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transformers ... n/55589165

Or amazon https://www.seibertron.com/transformers ... zon/40584/

Those are on sale now but we’re they when it was originally released? Secondly, with things like that, I’m not fond of the waiting for something to go on sale because that can burn you. As for preference regarding buying online or in store, I’d go the store route. I’m not saying that to be the bug in the soup either. I really don’t like having packages delivered. We really have people who swipe them. You are really gambling with that. And after having things arrive damaged, it just seems too much of a chance. If it’s small or inexpensive I could see me chancing it. Gonna have to for Predaking.

Same here. I jumped on Fort Max & Trypticon the first time I saw them, and paid the full $150.00 for both. Sure seeing them on sale online for as much as 50% off at times makes me wish I had waited, but hindsight...and all that. There is no guarantee items like this will go on sale, or be seen again. Heck, as it was with Trypticon, it was just a fortunate event I happened to look behind the customer service counter, I only ONCE saw a Trypticon on the shelf at any TRU in my area. There was a chance sighting at Frys about a month ago they had one for $110...but there's no way I could have predicted that. I'm determined to never again let the "Metroplex incident" (i.e. me not finding one)...ever happen again, especially now that 5 years later is selling the reissue at nearly 3X original price.

Now with TRU closing in the US I wonder how the heck I'm going to get PotP Predaking, hopefully HTS will have it for more than a few hours whenever it comes out.

We are straying very far from what the initial point was. It had nothing to do with seeing the item when it came out. It was about seeing a toy stocked on a shelf right now rather than seeing it at many other places at much better prices.

Because people who wanted trypticon when it came out bought it full price everywhere they could find it, both online and i stores. Where it was located was not relevant to the discussion, they just wanted the toy right away.

[o.supreme]

^If day 1 a Titan Class figure was at Walmart, at a less expensive price than TRU, that is a no brainer, of course I'd take it. But as we've discussed previously, up until now, Walmart and Target are unwilling to devote shelf spice to big ticket items such as this. Whether or not TRU closing will change that remains to be seen.

[william-james88]

^If day 1 a Titan Class figure was at Walmart, at a less expensive price than TRU, that is a no brainer, of course I'd take it. But as we've discussed previously, up until now, Walmart and Target are unwilling to devote shelf spice to big ticket items such as this. Whether or not TRU closing will change that remains to be seen.

It wont change anything. Any fan who wants their titans will get it one way or another, and it will surely be online now. Many got it from BBTS last time when it came out.

[Rated X]

I do remember a lavish grand opening in like 1985 when they set up shop in miami. They had the dukes of hazzard as special guests. But other than that I cant remember TRU doing anything that made me lavish the "expierence" or want to be a toys-r-us kid. As I got older I always noticed in almost every miami store they engaged in the practice of turning the entrance into a mini maze forcing you to walk through two aisles of baby crap and beach toys instead of allowing you to make a bee line for the main area to seek out what you came for. So f**king annoying. And then came the wonderful TRU rewards card that bombards your e-mail with coupons for baby crap I dont want to buy like playskool stuff. Maybe twice a year you would get a $5 or $10 off coupon that you could actually use for something you chose. Then theres "babies-r-us" which really deserves to die. Do you really need to go to a specialty store to buy diapers or a damn stroller? Cmon now, that store gotta be losing money cause of walmart too why didnt they close that s**t and consolidate it with the main store? And how the f**k they gonna set up shop in Australia and expect to make any money? Look at the crazy prices they charge out there when that island is probally the closest to the Asian mainland where the toys get made! Go figure...I admit Ive gotten some cool exclusives there. But transformers are a hot sales item currently and hasbro isnt the one going bankrupt. Reality check...I dont go there for an "expierence". I go there to buy toys. If I could get the same toy at the corner store at the same price why would I waste my time going to TRU? Obviously im a little biased because I dont have kids. But as a kid, I grew up with TRU and was perfectly content making a bee line for the transformers aisle, picking my toy, and getting the hell out of there so I could open it. I had zero intrest in exploring aisles of toy cars and super hero figures that I didnt care about. But thats was just me. TRU should have changed with the times and came up with a better strategy to stay afloat. There toys will just go somewhere else. One day youll probally be able to have a drone deliver toys to your backyard lol. So I wont be pouring out any liquor over here....it is what it is.

[o.supreme]

From the time I was born there was a TRU open near me in the Bay Area. My earliest memory probably was in 1980, Chuck-E-Cheese opened in the same parking lot, and when I was in Kindergarten we took a field trip there, and my mom took me to TRU afterwards. When I moved to Sacramento as a teenager, there was already one close by. The other in Roseville opened around 1998, and a friend of mine went to work there for about a year. They had this "concept 2000" idea where toys were displayed in *clusters* (basically 6 foot sections in a cross pattern)rather than long aisles. It was a little confusing at first, but did make the store seem more open, then of course they went back to the aisles sometime around 2005, when things started to go downhill.