Guess What Beloved Store Is Returning to UK High Streets?
If you grew up in the 80s, 90s or early 2000s… this one’s going to hit you right in the nostalgia.
A brand many of us thought was gone forever is quietly making its way back onto high streets up and down the country.
Any guesses?
Bright colours… aisles of toys… that jingle you can still hear in your head…
🧸 Toys “R” Us is officially back.
After disappearing from the UK in 2017 when the company collapsed, one of the most iconic toy retailers of all time is making a major comeback and it’s already opened over 100 new concession stores across the UK.
The latest launch? Just down the road in Basildon, where excited shoppers were reportedly queuing from 8am to get inside.
🧸 Why the Big Comeback?
Retail experts think the return is powered by two things:
✨ Nostalgia - Millennials and Gen X parents want to take their kids to the toy shop they once loved.
✨ The “in-person” experience - Kids want to see, touch, pick up toys, not just scroll on a screen.
Instead of giant warehouse-style buildings like before, the brand is now opening smaller Toys “R” Us departments inside existing stores, including TG Jones in Basildon and dozens of others around the country. With more are on the way.
🏙️ Could Braintree Be Next?
With the brand expanding fast, the big question for us locally is:
Should Toys “R” Us open a store in Braintree?
Imagine:
A concession inside Braintree Village
A section in a large local retailer
A town-centre toy hub bringing families back into the high street
Or should the focus stay on supporting our independent toy shops instead?
💬 Community Discussion
So let’s hear it…
👇 Would you want to see Toys “R” Us return to Braintree?
Do you think it would light up the high street, or compete too heavily with smaller local shops?
Tell us where YOU think it should go?
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