To bring in shoppers with new experiences, Tru Kids, the new owner of the Toys R Us brand, is teaming up with Candytopia. The firms will create Toys R Us Adventure, which has been described as “an immersive wonderland that celebrates the whimsical, silly and fun of toys,” CNBC reported.
Toys R Us Adventure will come with more than 12 playrooms that are interactive and have installations that put a spotlight on Geoffrey the Giraffe, the Toys R Us mascot. The play areas will open toward the end of October at Buckhead's Lenox Marketplace in Atlanta as well as on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The exhibits will be open through the holidays at the end of the year before reportedly coming to different cities.
Tru Kids CEO Richard Barry in a statement, according to the outlet, “We believe this live experience coupled with our new experiential retail stores will attract families from around the world and create a unique opportunity to rediscover the magic of this beloved family brand.” Executives of Tru Kids have reportedly promised that they will turn the process of shopping at Toys R Us stores into the interactive experience that its predecessor did not capture.
According to the report, Candytopia has turned into a popular place for millennials looking for a good picture for Instagram as well as families aiming to provide their children with “a sugary day of fun.” The company has opened locations on a limited-time basis in New York, Santa Monica and San Francisco. It was created by Zac Hartog, events and production design expert; Jackie Sorkin, candy artist; and John Goodman, retail executive.
Toys R Us had over 700 locations in the United States as of last April with the inclusion of those under the banner of Babies R Us. And it had roughly 1,600 stores globally. According to reports last year, the liquidation of Toys R Us was the largest retail closure since Sports Authority shuttered nearly 500 stores.
