At a mall in suburban New Jersey, a ghost of retail past has reappeared, just in time for the holiday shopping season. A new kind of Toys ‘R Us has taken up residence next to the AMC movie theater at the Garden State Plaza shopping mall in Paramus, New Jersey. (A second location also opened this past weekend in Houston, Texas).

From Big Box to Mall Chain

Aside from familiar branding, the new mall-based format is largely unrecognizable from the 30,000-square-foot megastores of the TRU of yore.

The effect is slightly less “immersive” and “magical” than the lofty language of the press release might imply. (There’s just no way to completely escape the blender from the Jamba Juice across the way.) But in these 6,000-square-feet, Toys ‘R Us has managed to fit more experiential elements than were ever available at stores five times the size, demonstrating an awareness of the modern consumer that was missing at the end of the retailer’s first life.

Pay to Play, Literally

The store is merchandized entirely around brands, rather than product category, which is where joint venture partner b8ta enters the picture. Brands including Spin Master, Lego, Nerf, MGA Entertainment and Nintendo have leased space in the store – ranging from small standing kiosks to walled off feature zones, many of which include some kind of interactive feature.

• The idea of paying for feature space at retail is nothing new, what’s marked is its proliferation across the entire store footprint and the opportunity it gives brands to get actionable intel on consumer behavior through tech integrations from b8ta.
• While b8ta’s involvement is largely invisible to shoppers, the role of Target – TRU’s e-commerce engine – definitely is not. Its logo appears on touchscreens and signage at every turn.

The Bottom Line: One thing is indisputable – the brand’s new owners are doing things differently this time around.

The first new Toys ‘R Us to open in the U.S. since the retailer’s bankruptcy, located at Garden State Plaza shopping mall in Paramus, New Jersey. A familiar face: A larger than life Geoffrey the Giraffe greets visitors at the entrance. One of many signs showcasing the e-commerce partnership with Target. One of the best interactive areas of the store – a space to test out the latest Nerf blaster. The Treehouse play zone, located center store and featuring classic TRU branding.

 

Schedule for the day in the TRU theater featuring Schleich, Hasbro and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Screens throughout the store, powered by Target, let shoppers check the expanded inventory online. More to come: Stacks of arriving toys from Spin Master, Moose Toys and Mattel await unpacking.

More feature zones: