For New Hampshire shoppers who remember visiting Toys R Us before the retailer closed its U.S. stores several years ago, the familiar toy store has once again found a home in Manchester.
A Toys R Us Holiday Shop is currently located at the Mall of New Hampshire, at 1500 S. Willow St. in Manchester. The seasonal store is part of the retailer’s continuing return to physical retail across the country.
The Manchester store is operated through Go! Retail Group, which has partnered with Toys R Us to open flagship stores, seasonal shops and other locations nationwide.
According to Go! Retail Group, its Toys R Us stores are planned to include interactive play areas, exclusive products, and appearances from Geoffrey the Giraffe, creating an experience that goes beyond traditional toy shopping.
Toys R Us at the Mall of New Hampshire
The Manchester Toys R Us is located inside the Mall of New Hampshire at:
1500 S. Willow St., Space S117B
Manchester, NH 03103
The store is currently listed as a Toys R Us Holiday Shop, meaning it is a seasonal location rather than one of the company’s permanent standalone stores.
Current listed hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, although hours may vary around holidays.
Toys R Us also maintains a presence in New Hampshire through smaller shops inside select Macy’s stores, including locations in Manchester, Salem, Nashua and Newington.
Could More Toys R Us Stores Come to New Hampshire?
The Manchester location comes as Toys R Us prepares for a much larger nationwide expansion.
According to Fast Company, Toys R Us plans to open 120 additional standalone stores across the United States in partnership with Go! Retail Group. The expansion is expected to increase the company’s standalone footprint from approximately 40 stores to 160.
The company has not released a complete list of the new locations, and it is not yet known whether New Hampshire will receive one of the planned standalone stores.
Fast Company reports that select locations will include Creator Studios, where toy companies, content creators and influencers can host events and introduce new products. Some locations are also expected to feature cafes and candy shops.
A Familiar Retailer Makes Its Way Back
The Toys R Us name largely disappeared from the American retail landscape after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2017 and closed more than 700 remaining U.S. stores the following year.
The brand eventually began making its way back into physical retail. WHP Global acquired a controlling interest in Toys R Us in 2021, and the company later expanded through shops inside Macy’s stores, along with flagship and seasonal locations.
For now, the Mall of New Hampshire Holiday Shop gives local shoppers a chance to experience Toys R Us in person again during the holiday season. With the retailer preparing to significantly increase its number of standalone stores, New Hampshire shoppers will have to wait and see whether the brand’s growing footprint eventually brings a permanent Toys R Us store back to the Granite State.
All photos are credited to Go! Retail Group and Toys R Us.
