Posted on 07/08/2018 7:55:49 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Toys “R” Us, which closed the last batch of its U.S. stores just over a week ago, has left behind not only nostalgia but also hundreds of empty stores across the country. But you’d be mistaken if you think this paints a gloomy picture of brick-and-mortar retail.
As much as consumers mourn the death of Toys “R” Us, their sad and sweet memories may soon be replaced by curiosity and even excitement over who’s moving into the bankrupt retailer's old homes. Arts and crafts retailer Hobby Lobby, off-price chains Burlington Stores and T.J. Maxx and Marshalls parent TJX are just some of the new tenants, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Conor Flynn, CEO of Kimco Realty Corp., which owns some of the vacated Toys “R” Us properties and a major open-air shopping center developer. Other retailers including Big Lots and Scandinavian Designs also have bid on some of Toys "R" Us's locations in bankruptcy court, the Journal reported.
Our Toys "R" Us locations “are already seeing significant demand from our list of growing retailers that are in search of high-quality locations,” Flynn said....
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
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The closest Toys ‘R’ Us by me is closed. It was rough on me because my parents and grandmother would take me there to buy me stuff. It was always special when my grandma took me though.
Fire sale prices.
Hobby Lobby is a natural for brick and mortar because artsy kind of stuff needs to be displayed and seen, lots of impulse buying goes on in actual stores. And they have appeal across multiple customer segments.
The only Family Dollar in my town of 15k closed this summer. It had been in business about 15 years, but never attracted much traffic. The Walmart Neighborhood Market opening just across the street 3 years ago probably did not help.
A large Dollar General opened in the area a few months ago, making 3 DGs within 5 miles of each other.
A Hobby Lobby moved into the original Walmart building in my area. Been in there 20 years or so and the building sat empty for a number of years before that. Hobby Lobby is still using shelving that was left behind by Walmart. Good business model.
DG really seems to be on a roll.
No kidding. Suddenly they are everywhere. One opened in our small town about two years ago. Several towns in the region got them around the same time.
God is blessing Hobby Lobby because in God they trust.
U-Haul: build out a showroom for moving supplies, build out the remainder of the space for storage rooms and/or U-box warehouse. Put trucks on the parking lot.
U-Haul: build out a showroom for moving supplies, build out the remainder of the space for storage rooms and/or U-box warehouse. Put trucks on the parking lot.
Clothing stores are too. Most people want to try on stuff first. Personally I buy a lot of my clothes online now. I find something I like then buy it over again directly from the maker’s website (Lee, Wrangler, etc.).
Is it possible corners are cut for some Amazon merchandise? That's pure speculation.
Still shop at the grocery store weekly, the WM is more of a "convenience" thing. Ditto Dollar Generals, their inventory is completely different from the Neighborhood WM.
I hear that in (ahem) "older" circles, that they like the Neighborhood WalMart more than the full-sized WalMart. People can get what they need, and not have to walk a country mile to get it. When you're 70+ and need a cane....that's a real selling point.
There aren’t any Hobby Lobby stores near us. Closest is maybe 60 miles. My wife would be ecstatic if one opened in an old Toys R Us a few miles away.
#15 I keep reading reviews of products at Amazon where people say the product they get at Amazon is not the same as the one at a store. That is is cheaper quality.
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