The makers of Little Tikes, Bratz dolls and L.O.L. Surprise! toys are signing on as the owners of Toys “R” Us gear up to open new stores in time for the holidays.
“This market needs a self-standing toy store, that’s for sure,” MGA Entertainment Inc. CEO Isaac Larian told Bloomberg News. “We will sell them inventory.”
Richard Barry is a former Toys “R” Us executive who is now CEO of Tru Kids Inc., the new owners of the iconic toy retailer and its signature Geoffrey Giraffe mascot. Barry pitched his plans for the new version of the chain to toymakers at an industry conference last week.
The plans have been in the works for months, with the goal to open a half dozen or so stores, and an online marketplace. That’s a far cry from the 600 megastores closed for good last year.
The new stores will also be about half the size of the old chain.
Last year, Tru Kids operated “Geoffrey’s Toy Box” pop-up stores inside 600 Kroger grocery stores during the holidays.
This report originally appeared on NYPost.com.
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