America’s favorite toy retailer is closing, and millennials on the internet are brokenhearted.
Toys ‘R’ Us will close its 800 U.S. stores, impacting as many as 33,000 jobs, the Washington Post reported Wednesday. The company, which filed for bankruptcy in September, is also closing its 75 U.K. stores but keeping its 82 Canadian locations open.
The news was particularly hard on millennials whose youths in the ’90s included wandering wide-eyed through Toys ‘R’ Us. They mourned the losses of the retailer—and their childhoods—on Twitter.
My generation decided to stay "kids" forever… and then all the things we wanted to stay for died instead. 😢#ToysRus
— Bob Chipman 😁 bobchipman.bsky.social (@the_moviebob) March 14, 2018
Don't get me wrong I haven't been to ToysRus is years but man is the 6 six year old me crying on the inside dude.
— Jonathan Flores (@JonFloresVO) March 14, 2018
Back then that was like the ultimate store if you had ANY sort of money when you were younger.
Feelsbad for the kids that won't ever get to experience it.
RIP Toys R Us. The end of an era.
— Sam LeFeber (@lefeberfever) March 14, 2018
Rip the awesome nostalgic 90s Kids days i had at toys r us damn good times I'll be never forget the fun awesome toy game and board game company
— SSanimeMangaguyPS4 (@SsanimeMannyXmn) March 14, 2018
Vaya Con Dios TOYS R US . . . You will be missed :( :( :( :( . . . #riptoysrus
— Shawn Smith (@DonCornelius70) March 14, 2018
A whole generation of ToysRUs kids are crying inside right now. Smh
— in Deep Thought (@SuddenC147) March 14, 2018
RIP Geoffrey the giraffe. #ToysRUs 🦒 pic.twitter.com/vnEtO4slCZ
— SassBaller (@SassBaller) March 14, 2018
Well, not everybody.
https://twitter.com/LovelyLilitz/status/972178554266898433
The loss of Toys ‘R’ Us, which reportedly accounted for 15 to 20 percent of U.S. toy sales last year, means a major shift in the industry. Manufacturers and consumers are expected to increasingly turn to Walmart, Target, and Amazon for their toy needs. And of course, kids have access to electronics like cell phones and tablets earlier than ever before.
On the bright side, independent toy stores are reportedly faring well. Maybe there’s hope for childhood yet.
H/T BuzzFeed News