A year after shutting all its U.S. stores, Toys “R” Us is making a comeback, the Washington Post reported. The international chain, which filed for bankruptcy in 2017, is opening two mall stores this holiday season and bringing back its website. But don’t expect the Toys “R” Us you’re used to. For one, the new locations — at the Galleria in Houston and Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J. —will be much smaller than their predecessors. And instead of aisles overflowing with packaged toys, the focus will be on open play areas, interactive displays and spaces for special events and birthday parties. The revamped Toys “R” Us is a joint venture between Tru Kids Brands — which acquired the Toys “R” Us brand in January — and b8ta, a chain of “experiential” consumer electronics stores. The new effort is being led by Barry and Phillip Raub, the founder of b8ta.
