It had been a sad passing when toy retail giant Toys R Us closed its doors in the very nation of its birth. That was sad for LEGO too, as TRU was one of its major retail partners with plenty of promotional events activities tied to them. And while the brand continues on in Canada and continental Europe, it just doesn’t feel quite the same.
But what if we told you that it may not last; that Toys R Us might ape the Ironborn adage from Game of Thrones to, in paraphrase, never die but rise again? It seems a revival is in the cards.
When last we heard of TRU US, it was on the block for a bankruptcy auction of its brands and assets by the hedge funds acting as its controlling lenders. Said lenders have abruptly pulled the plug on the auction, opting to revitalize the brand.
The controlling lenders now want the company, currently operating as Geoffrey LLC, to lend its brand instead to “a newly established, independent US business” using both the Toys R Us and Babies R Us branding. Rather than reopen the closed retail operations, it will be a new start for all.
Granted, the fact that the company is still saddled with outstanding debts and had let go of so many employees will make reviving TRU stateside a hard sell. But for the many LEGO fans that have relied on the retailer for their LEGO shopping, this could be very welcome news. One can only hope for the best with the attempt.