The crowd cheered Saturday outside the new Toys “R” Us at Harlem Irving Plaza in Norridge when mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe helped cut the ribbon during the grand opening of the toy store – marking a reprisal of the iconic retailer after it first filed bankruptcy in 2017 and shuttered stores nationwide by 2021.
“We want to be where the customers are, and this is a cool, magical place. You can see families, moms, dads and grandparents came. And Chicago is magical,” said Alex Winkelman, executive vice president of business development with Austin, Texas-based parent company Go! Retail Group.
Hours before the scheduled 10 a.m. opening Saturday, there were already hundreds of families waiting to explore the 10,000-square-foot store. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held just before the doors opened. Oct. 26
The Toys “R” Us at Harlem Irving Plaza mall is considered the company’s first standalone one in the Chicago area in years – even though it is inside the shopping center – because, unlike other locations, it is not housed in a Macy’s retail store.
Winkelman said that Go! chose the Harlem Irving Plaza location for the new store because of its location. She feels assured that the new store will run smoothly.
“We have an amazing team on the ground here who we’ve been working with for years, so they will be running the show,” she said.
The new store promises an immersive experience for visitors, with such brands as LEGO, Barbie, Hot Wheels, NERF and Paw Patrol, among others.
“Geoffrey the Giraffe will be making appearances every weekend,” Winkelman said. “And then we are working with many of our partner brands to help create experiences in the store. If somebody wants to come in here and just play and hangout and feel the joy of being here, we’re good with that. We’ll be having hands-on activities for kids to do – or any kid at heart to do.”
Activities for the opening weekend include face-painting, balloon-twisting and giveaways.
Myrna Petlicki is a freelancer.
