Toys “R” Us is making one of its biggest U.S. comebacks in years, announcing plans to open 120 new standalone stores across the country for the 2026 holiday season.
The expansion, announced September 17, is being carried out in partnership with Go! Retail Group and will increase the company’s U.S. standalone footprint from about 40 stores to 160 by the holiday season. Toys “R” Us also continues to operate shops inside Macy’s locations nationwide.
For New Jersey shoppers, the comeback has a familiar connection.
Toys “R” Us was once headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey, and the state remains part of the company’s rebuilding strategy. The retailer already operates a major location at American Dream in East Rutherford, while Toys “R” Us shops can also be found inside several Macy’s stores across New Jersey.
The Mall at Short Hills in Millburn has also been identified as one of the New Jersey locations connected to the latest expansion. The company has not yet released a complete list of all 120 new stores or individual opening dates.
Adults Are Helping Drive the Toy Boom
The expansion comes during an unusually strong period for the U.S. toy market.
Toy sales rose sharply during the first half of 2026, with growing demand not only from children and parents but also from teenagers and adults buying collectibles, trading cards, LEGO sets and nostalgic toys for themselves.
That trend has become significant enough that adults now represent a major part of the toy-buying market.
Pokémon cards, collectible figures and other products once associated primarily with children have increasingly become hobbies — and sometimes investments — for adult consumers.
For Toys “R” Us, that means the modern toy store is no longer designed only around parents shopping for their children.
A Different Kind of Toys “R” Us
The new locations will carry well-known brands including LEGO, Barbie, Hot Wheels and Pokémon, along with other toys, collectibles and holiday gifts.
Some stores will also include cafés, candy shops and “Creator Studios”, spaces where influencers, creators and toy companies can film content, introduce products and hold events.
It is a considerably different retail strategy from the giant warehouse-style Toys “R” Us stores many Americans remember.
From Bankruptcy to Another Expansion
The comeback is particularly notable because Toys “R” Us once appeared to have disappeared from American retail.
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2017 and liquidated its U.S. stores in 2018. WHP Global later acquired a controlling interest in the brand in 2021 and began rebuilding its American presence through Macy’s shops, standalone stores and other retail partnerships.
Now, nearly a decade after the bankruptcy, the familiar giraffe and colorful Toys “R” Us logo are returning to significantly more shopping centers.
And this time, some of the customers walking through the doors may be the same people who shopped there as children.
Sources: Toys “R” Us; PR Newswire; NorthJersey.com; Patch; NBC News; USA Today
By NJ RADAR Team