NBC News · 18 Sep, 14:37 · Business briefing

Toys ‘R’ Us is opening 120 new stores as grownup collectors fuel toy sales

Toys ‘R’ Us is expanding its physical footprint by opening one hundred and twenty new stores, driven by robust demand from adult collectors.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

26%average salary uplift after a professional certificate

2.7xfaster promotion for certified professionals

71%of leaders prefer candidates who upskill continuously

20days to your first credential

The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Toys ‘R’ Us is expanding its physical footprint by opening one hundred and twenty new stores, driven by robust demand from adult collectors. This strategic shift highlights a significant pivot in the retail sector, where nostalgia and collector culture are becoming primary growth engines. The move suggests that brick-and-mortar locations remain vital for experiential retail, particularly when catering to niche demographics willing to pay premium prices. For professionals, this signals a broader trend where physical presence complements digital channels, creating hybrid models that leverage community engagement and tangible product interaction to drive sustained commercial success.

Employer demand for Strategic Marketing skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This expansion signals that physical retail is evolving into experiential hubs rather than mere distribution points. You must prioritise skills in omnichannel strategy and customer experience design. Professionals in retail management should focus on integrating digital loyalty programmes with in-store events to deepen engagement with high-value collector demographics. Supply chain experts must adapt to handle high-value, low-volume inventory with precision. If you work in marketing, understand the psychology of nostalgia-driven purchasing. A smart professional would immediately audit their current retail strategy for experiential gaps. Upskill in data analytics to track collector behaviour and in project management to oversee complex store launches. Ignoring the human element in physical spaces will leave you behind as competitors capitalise on community-driven sales models.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Strategic Marketing, Supply Chain, Business And Management and CRM Data Analytics — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.