Toys "R" Us will open more than 80 locations on short-term leases in malls and shopping centers across the country starting next month, Allison Abell Schwartz reports, as well as 260 temporary stores
within Babies "R" Us locations. All told, the holiday push this year represents an additional million square feet of selling space, according to chairman and CEO Jerry Storch.
"This is a
great time to reinforce our authority position in the toy marketplace, a great time to increase our brand penetration and a great time to drive incremental sales," says Storch. He also asserts that
"the last thing parents will cut back on is that trip to Toys "R" Us to buy the holiday present for their kids."
U.S. retail sales of toys were $21.6 billion in 2008, a 3% drop from
2007, according to researcher NPD Group.
The pop-ups will be about 4,000 square feet each; the shops within Babies "R" Us will be about 2,500 square feet. The stores will open in early
October and close in mid-January.
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