Toys R Us comeback? Parent company announced it will open 24 brick-and-mortar stores

Almost two years after Toys R Us opened a flagship store at American Dream mall in North Jersey, parent company WHP Global announced that it will open two dozen more brick-and-mortar stores throughout the country.

WHP Global on Friday announced that it is entering a partnership with Go Retail Group to open 24 Toys R Us stores in the United States.

It's unclear where the stores will be, but the plan includes airports and cruise ships. Some of the stores may open as early as next year, but one of the first is slated for a November opening. It will be built in Terminal A at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, making purchases there duty-free.

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The partnership will allow for the plan to move forward and bring back physical locations of the iconic toy brand, Go Retail Group CEO Gideon Schlessinger said in a statement.

Go Retail Group is the largest operator of seasonal, mall-based pop-up stores, with brands including Calendars.com, Calendar Club, Go! Toys & Games, Attic Salt, NIQUEA.D, Snoozimals and Kobioto.

WHP Global acquired Toys R Us from Tru Kids Inc. in 2021. Tru Kids bought the brand in a 2018 liquidation sale.

Late last fall, Macy's announced plans to expand the inclusion of Toys R Us-branded toy shops to all of its department stores nationwide by the holidays.

The stores rolled out by October, just before the start of the holiday shopping season.

The Toys R Us shops inside the retail giant include demonstration tables where shoppers can try out different toys, and a life-size "Geoffrey on a bench," where kids and adults can pose for photos with the toy brand's giraffe mascot.

More: Wayne approves 'eminent domain' study of former Toys R Us headquarters

Also after closing its last store in 2018, infant products retailer Babies R Us reopened its first store in the U.S., a flagship store at the American Dream mall, on July 19, spokesperson Jessica Griffin said via email.

Toys R Us, formerly based in Wayne, filed for bankruptcy in 2018, closing all its stores. The chain was known for iconic toy brands for kids and the Geoffrey the Giraffe mascot, both now available at the American Dream store.

Increased competition from other toy sellers, company debt and a decline in toy sales were blamed for Toys R Us's downfall.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Toys R Us comeback? Parent company to open 24 brick-and-mortar stores