Toys"R"Us, Inc. Expands Its One-Stop Shopping Destinations with New and Renovated Toys"R"Us® and Babies"R"Us® Locations in 21 Markets Nationwide
With the Opening of Eight New Side-by-Side Locations and the Transformation of 13 Existing Stores, Nearly a Quarter of Company's U.S. Store Base will Combine Two Trusted Brands Under One Roof
WAYNE, N.J., July 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Toys"R"Us, Inc. today announced that by the end of the year it will have opened eight new stores and transformed 13 existing locations to the Side-by-Side model in 2012, offering more convenient, one-stop shopping destinations to fulfill the needs of children of all ages. These 21 stores across 13 states are representative of the company's ongoing strategy to bring Toys"R"Us® and Babies"R"Us® together in an integrated store format, providing customers with a streamlined shopping environment that is easy to navigate and showcases the company's differentiated product offerings and services. In adding eight new stores and renovating 13 existing locations, the company will create more than 400 new jobs across the country.
"As we continue to invest and build upon our portfolio of stores by integrating Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us under one roof, our strategy has provided the opportunity to capture customers at their family's earliest stage and grow with them through childhood," said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "We are pleased that our customers have consistently embraced the enhanced shopping experience these locations offer, whether they are shopping for must-have toys for the kids in their lives or products for the newest addition to their family."
By the end of 2012, the company expects to operate 204 Side-by-Side stores nationwide, accounting for nearly 25% of its store base across the country*. Through the execution of its integrated store strategy, Toys"R"Us, Inc. has updated many of its existing locations by renovating the stores' interiors and exteriors, while bringing both trusted brands under one roof. Concurrently, it has also allowed the company to relocate older stores in select markets to new sites in the current center of retail activity in those areas. Stores began opening this year in March and will continue opening through November, just in time for the holiday shopping season.
Toys"R"Us, Inc. currently operates more than 190 Side-by-Side stores in the United States. To date in 2012, the company has introduced both trusted brands together in an integrated format in the following markets:
- Pinole, CA
- Redwood City, CA
- McDonough, GA**
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- Bossier City, LA
- Gastonia, NC**
- Concord, NH
- Montrose, OH
- West Harrisburg, PA**
- Fredericksburg, VA
Also debuting this summer through November 2012 are new and renovated Side-by-Side stores in the following markets:
- Rossmoor, CA**
- Vallejo, CA**
- Miami, FL
- Royal Palm Beach, FL**
- Leominster, MA
- North Raleigh, NC**
- Cherry Hill, NJ
- Rockaway, NJ
- Union, NJ
- Commack, NY
- Richmond, VA**
The integrated store format provides exceptional shopping convenience for time-strapped parents, offering a broad selection of toys and juvenile products. The company embarked on its integrated store strategy in 2006 when it began renovating existing Toys"R"Us stores to include a small Babies"R"Us store within the same location. Expanding on the success of this Side-by-Side store format, in 2007 the company also began opening brand new Side-by-Side locations constructed from the ground up. Today, these integrated store formats range in size from approximately 30,000 square feet to 70,000 square feet.
With these combined stores, more families can now enjoy a seamless in-store and online shopping experience through the companies growing omnichannel capabilities, making it easier than ever to shop with Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us however and whenever they want. For example, "Buy Online, Pick Up In Store" offers customers the ability to shop from the comfort of their own homes and pick up a purchase hours later at their local "R"Us store. Shoppers can also designate an alternate person to pick up their order with "Family and Friends Pick Up."
A Foundation in Sustainable Building
As a company committed to being a good neighbor in the communities it serves, Toys"R"Us, Inc. has implemented a number of sustainable initiatives that conserve energy, minimize waste, reduce its stores' overall impact on the environment and diminish the company's carbon footprint today and for years to come. New and renovated "R"Us locations include a combination of the following sustainable features:
- A state-of-the-art Energy Management System (EMS) that monitors environmental conditions and adjusts temperature, lighting and CO2 levels throughout the store in order to utilize natural light and reduce energy consumption
- A custom daylight harvesting system, which includes a number of design components, such as skylights, cutting-edge dimmable fixtures and lighting sensors that reduce up to 50% of electric lighting energy used during the day
- Energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) fixtures in outdoor signage instead of florescent signage, which increase energy savings and reduce toxic materials and maintenance costs
- Low-flow water closets and urinals, as well as automatic faucets and flush valves, which conserve water
- High efficiency automatic hand dryers that use 80% less energy than standard hand dryers while eliminating the need for paper towel products and therefore lessening the impact on landfills
- A cardboard baler that facilitates recycling and reduces the impact on landfills
- Low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) paint and floor adhesive are used during construction because they produce little odor during application and no lingering odor once cured
- A vestibule entry way system that reduces the amount of outside contaminants being tracked into the store interior, while helping to improve indoor air quality
- White reflective roof that significantly reduces the amount of heat absorbed by the building which, in turn, reduces the building's energy requirement for cooling
* Excluding Toys"R"Us Express and Outlet locations in the United States.
**New Side-by-Side Store
About Toys"R"Us, Inc.
Toys"R"Us, Inc. is the world's leading dedicated toy and juvenile products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands. Merchandise is sold in 874 Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, and in more than 625 international stores and over 145 licensed stores in 35 countries and jurisdictions. In addition, it exclusively operates the legendary FAO Schwarz brand and sells extraordinary toys in the brand's flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com, Babiesrus.com, eToys.com and FAO.com, it provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Headquartered in Wayne, NJ, Toys"R"Us, Inc. employs approximately 70,000 associates annually worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need. Additional information about Toys"R"Us, Inc. can be found on Toysrusinc.com. Follow Toys"R"Us, Babies"R"Us and FAO Schwarz on Facebook at Facebook.com/Toysrus, Facebook.com/Babiesrus and Facebook.com/FAO and on Twitter at Twitter.com/Toysrus and Twitter.com/Babiesrus.
SOURCE Toys"R"Us, Inc.
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