As we all probably know, Toys R Us had shut down for good. Probably a bit overdue.

The kid's toy chain started out as strictly a baby furniture store by Charles Lazarus at the start of the Baby Boom in 1948. By 1957, the baby furniture stores expand into carrying kids toys which then causes Lazarus to change the name to "Toys R Us". The business flourished and in 1969, we were introduced to the mascot: Geoffrey the Giraffe. Which, in my opinion, is easily the coolest mascot for a store. In 1983, Toys R Us decides it wants to dabble in kids clothing and begins the branch Kids R Us. About 13 years later, someone thinks of the idea to make an expansion dedicated to babies. This introduces the public to Babies R Us. However, after this is where we begin to see some decline with the business.

In 1998, Toys R Us has a rude awakening. Walmart became the number one toy seller, beating out Toys R Us, for the first time in years. Few years after this, the company closes every Kids R Us. In 2009, the company buys a couple of toy retailers and toy related websites. Sales begin to decline in 2013 and two years later, a new CEO comes in (the 4th in 16 years) with the task of turning the business around. We all see how that went. With the company still struggling greatly in 2017, they hire a law firm that has a specialty in restructuring companies. This, in the end, fails and Toys R Us files for bankruptcy with plans to close 182 stores. In March of 2018, they bump that number up to 800 stores — which is all of them.

Upon the announcement of its closing, I raced to Toys R Us. Only to find the deals were pathetic and prices bumped up just for them to take some percentage off like they were actually giving you a deal. This was kind of annoying and at the time, didn't really feel like the store was going out of business. Everything looked normal, stuff was still on the shelves, there was no doomsday panic. I shrugged it off without really grasping what was going on.

Months went on and finally, at the start of June, an official closing date was announced: June 29th. Stores began to close before that but that was the cutoff date that slapped everyone into reality.

Now, I am not going to act like Toys R Us going out of business is really hurting me or like it was a huge part of my childhood. I actually don't have many memories of going to Toys R Us when I was a kid. If we went, it was usually to pick up a birthday present or find a registry for a baby shower. The minute my parents read this they may yell and give me a long list of times I was there for myself, but there was certainly not enough times that I actually remember it. That's kind of a big issue, huh? Maybe if there were more times, the place would still be in business.

I decided I wanted to get one last hurrah in the famous toy store so I went to one a couple of towns over from me. This store had 1 more day left when I went (their closing date was marked June 28th). Upon my immediate turn into the parking lot, I could see it was full. I had never seen so many cars in a Toys R Us parking lot in my life. My last distant memory of going to Toys R Us was around Christmas time and I had gone to look at Nintendo 3Ds games. There was maybe two cars in the parking lot. Now, people were acting like it was the hottest new store. I saw parents walking in with their kids and walking out with new exciting toys for them. Would have been really nice if you could have done this with your kids when the store was, like, actually thriving.

Anyways, walking into the store was insane. Everything and I mean everything, was for sale. Shopping baskets were a nice five dollars. Shelving structures were already sold. Display toy kitchens were not for sale (sadly). Toys were up to 90% off. Finally, the deals I was looking for from day one.

Everything left in the store was compacted into the front section. There were barriers to keep you from the rest of the store. It was miles and miles of empty shelves contrasting with the bright, friendly painted walls. A true reality check if you needed one. There was no order to anything. I wish I had taken pictures, I wish I knew I would be writing this because the scene in this store was so unlike anything I had ever seen. Stuffed animals were shoved into a couple of bins with price tags. There were a thousand and one Marvel plushies in one bin, with various other Marvel novelties in another. There was an abundance of unwanted Star Wars figurines (originally prices $30…now down to $3). The employees themselves were drowning in toys left by checkouts or on the service desk. Some random small toys were scattered on shelves, including someone's half drank Dunkin Donuts iced coffee. Glad Toys R Us was still classy, even in its last days.

Basically, the store had been compiled down to the unwanted, unnecessary toys. I was too hopeful that I would find a discounted Hatchimal or Legos. Instead, I was met with the chaos of children screaming and parents stressed, the kind of stuff I wanted when the store was actually doing good. It was a real unpleasant last experience in a place I had last viewed as exciting and friendly. This looked more like the end of the world mixed with screaming kids and the throwing of boxes around the store.

I should have just left my view of the franchise the way it was.