In its rush to find a buyer earlier this year and avoid liquidation, bankrupt Toys “R” Us Inc. landed on a familiar name: Sycamore Partners, Bloomberg News reported. The private-equity firm, which had already scooped up several troubled retailers, held advanced talks with Toys “R” Us about acquiring the chain and keeping open half its 800 U.S. locations. Target Corp. also seriously pursued buying some of the retailer’s assets, including the parent registry and website of its Babies “R” Us brand. But those potential deals collapsed in February when the retailer’s senior creditors decided there would be a better return by selling off assets during a liquidation of the U.S. retail business. By mid-March, management publicly disclosed the shutdown after a Bloomberg News report that it was preparing for that option.
