Retail brands work a bit like bad guys in a horror movie.
When you think they're dead, they pop back up. Even after the hero puts them down for the final count, there's always that last shot where you see an eye open or a finger move that makes you think that Michael Myers, Freddie Kreuger, or Jason Vorhees will probably make an improbable return from a death that seemed very final.
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In many cases, when big retail names come back from the dead, they are more zombie brands than actual retailers. Sharper Image, for example. used to be a chain of pretty cool stores that sold electronics, massage chairs, and other gadgets.
When the chain went bankrupt, its name was bought by a company that stamps it on toys for adults, mildly clever gadgets, and other lower-end items that were sold at chains including Target (TGT) -). The products were vaguely evocative of the former brick-and-mortar brand, but mostly it was a name being exploited because consumers knew it.
Bed Bath & Beyond, a company that was recently liquidated after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, has also reappeared. The former Overstock.com bought its intellectual property (IP), including its name and website, and has adopted its former moniker.
The new Bed Bath & Beyond is nothing like its former self — it has no stores — but people know the name, which is arguably better than Overstock.com.
Another zombie brand, Toys R Us, has been used in a variety of ways since its 2017 bankruptcy. It has appeared in grocery stores as a holiday pop-up shop and the toy sections at Macy's (M) -) carry its name.
None of these uses of the Toys R Us name reflected what the chain used to be — big box stores that were a wonderland for kids. Now, the current owner of the brand plans to bring the magic back by launching up to 24 "flagship" Toys R Us locations.
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Toys R Us making a retail comeback
While Target, Walmart, and Amazon hastened the demise of Toys R Us, the company mostly killed itself. After a leveraged buyout, the chain did not have the funds to reinvent its stores.
In the 80s, simply having a ton of toys made Toys R US a destination. Walmart and Target expanded their toy sections and used toys as a loss leader. That made it easier for mom and dad to skip the toy store but use the toy departments at the big retailers as a bribe to their children so they could do other shopping.
Had Toys R Us made its store more interactive and, well, more of an event/destination, the chain might have retained its audience. There are independent toy stores all over the country that prove that model.
Now, the chain's new owner, WHP Global has partnered with Go Retail, to open 24 new "flagship" Toys R Us stores in the U.S. starting next year.
Nostalgia may help Toys R Us
By keeping the new Toys R Us stores in "prime location that complements the existing retail footprint at Macy’s,” the company has a chance to make its new stores destinations. The chain currently has one flagship location at American Dream mall in New Jersey.
The new stores will build off that model.
"Similar to the global flagship at American Dream, the new flagship stores will serve as epicenters of immersive fun, providing customers with a destination to explore and discover the hottest toys," the company shared in a press release.
WHP Global has been steadily expanding the Toys R Us brand since acquiring it a few years ago.
“We have increased our global retail footprint by more than 50% with openings in the United States, United Kingdom, India, Dubai, and Mexico,” CEO Yehuda Shmidman said. “We now have over 1,400 stores and e-commerce sites across 31 countries."
The company also plans to bring the Toys R Us brand to airports and to cruise ships.
"In early November, the first Toys R Us airport store will open in Terminal A at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, the world's second busiest airport," the company shared.
The airport locations will be a partnership with Duty Free Americas.
