Iconic toy retailer Toys "R" Us will open a new standalone location on Level 2 of the Northridge Fashion Center at 9301 Tampa Avenue, marking the latest chapter in the brand's brick-and-mortar comeback after its 2018 U.S. store closures.
The toys are coming back to Northridge.
Iconic toy retailer Toys "R" Us will open a new standalone location inside the Northridge Fashion Center at 9301 Tampa Avenue, according to the mall's website, which lists the store as "Coming Soon." A specific opening date has not yet been announced, but local sources say the store is expected to open in fall 2026.
The new store will occupy the former Guess Brand space on Level 2 of the shopping center, near Foot Locker and Sephora. A representative for the Northridge Fashion Center described the location as a year-long "pop-up" store.
The Valley already has a small Toys "R" Us outpost inside the Macy's at Northridge Fashion Center, but this new location will be a dedicated, standalone storefront.
News of the opening quickly spread across local social media, with longtime fans reacting to the prospect of walking into a full-scale Toys "R" Us again.
"They should do a retro toy section for us grown-ups who were kids so we can relive our childhood memories," one commenter wrote on a post from What's New SFV, a local social media page dedicated to San Fernando Valley happenings.
"That's cute that they're doing that, but it'll never be a real Toys R Us that old heads remember," another commenter wrote.
"Now bring back Payless!" a third quipped.
Toys "R" Us has had a turbulent last decade. The chain, which once dominated toy sales in the United States, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017 after years of declining sales and the weight of roughly $5 billion in debt. It shuttered all of its U.S. stores in 2018.
The brand reemerged under new parent company Tru Kids Brands the following year, opening a smaller-format store at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, and a second location at The Galleria in Houston, Texas. Both stores closed in January 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brand management firm WHP Global acquired a controlling stake in Toys "R" Us in March 2021 and has since worked to rebuild the retailer's physical footprint. Later that year, Toys "R" Us opened a 20,000-square-foot flagship at American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The comeback expanded further in 2022 with the launch of hundreds of Toys "R" Us shops inside Macy's stores nationwide. Macy's reported that its toy sales during the first quarter of fiscal 2022 were 15 times higher than during the comparable period before the partnership.
WHP Global announced in 2023 that it was partnering with Go! Retail Group to roll out additional Toys "R" Us flagship stores across the United States beginning in 2024, part of an expansion strategy the company dubbed "air, land and sea." The retailer has also opened its first airport store at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and announced plans to bring the brand aboard cruise ships.
The Toys "R" Us website now lists more than 30 standalone and flagship locations nationwide, in addition to the brand's presence inside Macy's stores.
Alongside the retail launch, Go! Retail Group is hiring locally. A part-time Sales Associate position has been posted, offering $13.00 per hour for up to 20 hours a week, with weekend and evening shifts. The role comes with a 401K retirement plan, an employee discount, and flexible scheduling. No prior retail experience is required.
Go! Retail Group, which operates under the WHP Global umbrella, has been expanding pop-up and holiday shop locations in places such as Long Beach Towne Center, Los Cerritos Center, and Brentwood. The company has not confirmed whether the Northridge store will feature interactive play zones or meet-and-greets with the brand mascot Geoffrey, elements that appear at some of its other locations.
The Northridge location will carry the full Toys "R" Us assortment: toys, games, puzzles, collectibles, and licensed merchandise, mirroring the product mix found at the chain's other flagship sites.
The store's placement at Northridge Fashion Center could boost foot traffic for neighboring merchants, adding a destination retail experience for families throughout the San Fernando Valley.
This article was generated with AI assistance.