Kimberly Redmond//July 12, 2023//
Babies R Us plans to open a new flagship store this summer at American Dream in East Rutherford. - AMERICAN DREAM
Babies R Us plans to open a new flagship store this summer at American Dream in East Rutherford. - AMERICAN DREAM
Kimberly Redmond//July 12, 2023//
Babies R Us is gearing up to unveil its first U.S. flagship store at American Dream.
Located on Level 1 in Court C, the 10,000-square-foot space is expected to begin welcoming shoppers July 19, according to a spokesperson for the East Rutherford megamall.
Featuring a “modern retail concept,” the new store will offer a full range of products, services and expertise to support the needs of new and expecting parents, as well as families. It will also have interactive experiences, such as a photo station, wishing tree and a stroller test track, a nursery design center, educational workshops and a baby registry lounge.
The new location at American Dream will be the first Babies R Us to open in the U.S. since its parent company, Toys R Us, filed for bankruptcy protection in 2017 and shut down all stores across the country the following year.
After Parsippany-based Tru Kids Inc.’s unsuccessful attempt to revive the iconic chains, and subsequent closure of newly launched stores in Houston and Paramus, the brands were acquired in 2021 by a leading brand management firm, WHP Global.
Along with opening a flagship Toys R Us location at American Dream in December 2021, WHP forged partnerships with Macy’s to open hundreds of new outposts inside its department stores across the U.S., as well as online.
Earlier this year, Yehuda Shmidman, WHP’s chairman and chief executive officer, commented on the company’s efforts to bring the Toys R Us and Babies R Us brands back to the U.S., saying they are “laser-focused.”
“We achieved that mission for Toys R Us by opening our global flagship at American Dream and through our landmark partnership with Macy’s. Our plan to open Babies R Us at American Dream in the coming months is a huge milestone in the return of Babies R Us to the U.S.A., and it sets the stage for a national rollout of Babies R Us in the future,” he stated.