Toys 'R' Us is Returning to Iowa with a Brand New Store

After making a comeback in a Chicago mall last year, and then opening a 13,000 square-foot store in Aurora, IL this month, Toys "R" Us is plotting a comeback to the state of Iowa after many years of remaining dormant.

Seven years ago, Toys "R" Us closed all of its stores liquidated its assets following bankruptcy. Since then, the chain has been making a small-scale comeback in the form of stores-within-department-stores and other brick and mortar locations. Now, the company is shifting focus to open 20 seasonal stores and Iowa is on the list of locations to see one materialize.

Toys "R" Us Will Be Returning to Iowa:

The Des Moines Register reported that Toys "R" Us will be looking to open a store at Jordan Creek Town Center in Des Moines, IA. Details are unknown at this time, as negotiations are still ongoing. A specific location, size, and even an opening date have yet to be announced.

The Jordan Creek Town Center is an ideal location for a Toys "R" Us seeing as that shopping center is not only located in Iowa's most populous city, but also due to the fact that the area is a hub for stores that aren't typically found in Iowa. The town center itself is a destination, and a Toys "R" Us could fare very well.

Why Did Toys "R" Us Disappear?:

In 2018, Toys "R" Us closed over 700 of its remaining stores due to an insurmountable debt of $5 billion. Several locations once existed in Iowa, in places like Clive, Des Moines, and Altoona, but all have since shuttered.

The rise of online retailers contributed to Toys "R" Us losing ground in the race. Think about in the 1990s, when every Christmas, like clockwork, there would be news stories about parents running around Toys "R" Us, sometimes assaulting one another, to get their child something like a Tickle-Me Elmo doll. Nowadays, parents are likely quick to go online for toys, and even cough up the extra fees for "same day shipping" if they need it in time for an occasion.

Get our free mobile app

Where New Toys "R" Us Stores Will Be Located:

In 2021, however, WHP Global, a New York-based brand acquisition firm, bought a controlling stake in Toys "R" Us, per The Des Moines Register. A small-scale comeback was launched, in the form of stores inside malls, cruise ships, airports, and even Macy's.

Now, Toys "R" Us is again trying its hand in standalone, brick-and-mortar locations, with several locations planned: