By Sunayana Prabhu
TINTON FALLS – Holiday cheer is hitting a high note as Toys “R” Us stores return just in time for Santa to check his list. Out of the 120 physical stores opening nationwide for the holiday season, two new locations are now open in Tinton Falls and Eatontown.
A Toys “R” Us store opened at the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets this month; another outpost is located inside the Macy’s store at Monmouth Square in Eatontown. These brick-and-mortar locations are part of the retail giant’s broader expansion announced Sept. 17, fueled by a surge in toy sales.
The announcement of the physical store openings comes nearly a decade after the company’s 2017 bankruptcy, which forced the liquidation of 800 stores nationwide. Four Monmouth County locations – in Hazlet, Shrewsbury, Tinton Falls and Freehold – were part of the closures.
According to a press release from WHP Global, which has owned Toys “R” Us since 2021, selected stores will introduce new spaces, such as Creator Studios, to adapt to a younger generation of influencers, creators and new toy brand owners who create content for social media. Some stores will also feature candy shops and cafés, in addition to the season’s best toys, collectibles and products from popular global toy brands and the latest movies, including LEGO, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Pokémon, KPop Demon Hunters and more.
Toys “R” Us was founded in the late 1940s and evolved into one of the world’s largest toy retailers in the 1980s. Many children from that generation are now adults with money, walking into the iconic store to relive their childhood amid the aisles of toys.
“I see Paddington Bear and Strawberry Shortcake, oh my god,” Melissa Hawanczak gasped, while shopping with her husband Edward at the Toys “R” Us in Tinton Falls. “I’m picturing my old one with the real wooden buttons,” she said.
“You wouldn’t go on Amazon…,” Edward said. “…looking for Paddington Bear,” Melissa finished. The couple, of Highlands, acknowledged the convenience of online shopping, but said they wouldn’t know how to find certain toys unless they saw them in person, just like they did when they were children.
“I think the (relaunch) is targeted at millennial parents, probably more than anything, because it’s nostalgic for us,” Edward said. “Even in this smaller version, it’s cool to see.”
“I remember going shopping at Babies and Kids “R” Us and looking for clothes and hiding under the racks… when my parents couldn’t find me, giving them heart attacks. It brings back fun memories,” Melissa said.
She noted their daughter does not share the same experience. “Our kid thinks Walmart (or) Target is a toy store.”
“So many are emotionally connected with Toys “R” Us,” said Aalap Dhrangadhria, operator of the Tinton Falls Toys “R” Us (the location was previously occupied by Go! Calendars Games & Toys store).
“We’ve been hearing some great stories,” Dhrangadhria said, recalling a shopper’s anecdote: “When he (the visitor) was a kid, his dad used to give him a $10 allowance or $5 allowance as the maximum he could spend in Toys “R” Us and he’d spend hours and hours and hours just to pick that $5 toy,” Dhrangadhria said.
Visitors of all ages have also been asking store staff if they can pose for a photo with the 24-inch plushie of Geoffrey the Giraffe, the beloved mascot of Toys “R” Us, Dhrangadhria said. “All the commercials in the ’80s and ’90s were all connected to Geoffrey.”
Sherry Andrus, an Oceanport resident, said she just wandered into the shop. “My kids were little, and they’re old now,” she said. “I would bring them and let them look at the toys and whatever lit up their faces when they were young, those are the things I would go back and buy. Can’t do that online.”
“This is a major moment for Toys “R” Us as we significantly expand our presence across the United States,” Jamie Uitdenhowen, executive vice president of Toys “R” Us, WHP Global, said in the release. “Together with our incredible partners, we are growing Toys “R” Us in unique ways to meet customers wherever they are, whether that’s at a standalone store in their hometown, inside Macy’s, at the airport or at a Navy Exchange. Toys “R” Us has always been a place for discovery, and we’re building on that legacy.”
The company’s expansion comes at a time when experts report an uptick in toy sales, increasingly fueled by older consumers.
According to an Aug. 12 report by market research group Circana, adult-only households accounted for 55% of toy sales and grew more than 16% through June, slightly outpacing households with children. Together, teens and adults generated nearly 60% of the industry’s incremental dollar gains in the first half, Circana reported.
“The first half of 2026 demonstrated that the toy industry’s growth story reflects both the extraordinary performance of trading cards and strength across several other key areas of the market,” Kristen McLean, vice president of client insights for Circana’s Entertainment Knowledge Group, said in the August report. “Beyond trading cards, consumers continued to gravitate toward collectibles, sensory toys, licensed products, and hobby-oriented play, underscoring the broad appeal of toys despite ongoing affordability pressures.” These trends are helping expand toy engagement across a much wider consumer base than the industry has historically served, McLean noted.
As the holiday season approaches, Circana reports, collectibles, licensed products, gaming-related properties, building sets, sports-themed items and other hobby-oriented categories are expected to remain significant growth drivers in the toy industry. However, McLean noted, affordability pressures, tariffs, inflation and emerging price increases remain important factors to watch.
The article originally appeared in the October 22 – 28, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
