Toys 'R' Us is set to open 120 new brick-and-mortar stores across the United States in the coming weeks and months, marking its largest expansion in nearly a decade. The move comes as other major High Street brands are closing down, and follows renewed demand from adult customers, the company announced on Thursday.
Expansion driven by adult toy demand
Fresh contracts have been signed for dozens of one-year leases across the US. According to consumer data tracker Circana, toy sales have seen their biggest surge since 2020. In the first half of 2026, toy sales rose by 17 per cent, the strongest first-half performance in six years for the brand.
The increase is largely attributed to "kidults," or adults who are buying trading cards and collectibles. Circana reports that adults now account for 55 per cent of all toy sales.
New stores and flagship locations
The new stores will showcase major brands such as LEGO, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Pokémon and KPop Demon Hunters. Some locations will also feature their own cafes and sweet shops, the company adds.
There are currently about 40 stores across the US, including a 20,000-square-foot flagship store in New Jersey and another in Minnesota. According to a spokesperson for Toys 'R' Us, the expansion drive kicked off last month when Go!Retail Group—which typically runs pop-up shops and quietly commenced the Toys 'R' Us expansion last year—started launching 3,500- to 7,500-square-foot outlets.
Revival and market context
The number of shops is expected to reach 160 in the coming weeks. However, 160 locations represents just a tiny fraction of the 750 stores the retailer operated when it filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and closed down across all of its US sites.
Its collapse devastated the toy-selling sector, which relied on Toys 'R' Us to boost sales and introduce new products. Since then, US retailers Walmart, Amazon and Target have largely filled the gap. However, according to former Toys 'R' Us veteran Jamie Uitdenhowen—now WHP Global executive vice president—"the toy industry is incredibly strong."
