Stargazer wrote: Wed Sep 24, 2025 6:09 am
Apparently, we're one of 10 'flagship' locations, which will purportedly be open year round.
What a horrible time to open a toy store though. Virtually 100% of toys are made in China, i can only imagine what newly stocked shelves of these toys are going to be priced at.
That's OK, because consumers aren't paying the tariffs...
Of the things I'd think of people would be complaining about, toys wasn't one on my radar
Right! Just remember... little girls don't "need" to have 5-6 baby dolls... they can live with 1-2 dolls.
Anyway, I was just trying to make light of it since Stargazer brought it up. For the mall's sake as well as the business, I do hope they're successful and do a lot of business. People need their LEGO sets and HotWheels cars!
This article talks a bit about their strategy behind the flagship stores:
The new Toys R Us stateside stores will mostly be located in malls and outlet centers. The expansion follows the opening of a 13,000-square-foot flagship store on September 20 in Aurora, Illinois. That location marks the brand's second Chicago-area site after Norridge. As is typical for flagships, the store includes a Babies R Us section and an arcade area, a combo that underscores the updated, family-focused pitch of the Toys R Us comeback format.
Garrett wrote: Wed Sep 24, 2025 5:07 pm
Was Toys R Us not adequately “family focused” before…?
There wasn't much for children in the stores. It was just a retail store with aisles of goods for purchase. Kids just begged for stuff from their parents. I think Nintendo and Sega had demos setup so you could play a video game just like at Walmart and Target do now.
I'm curious if they will crack down on Wine Beer and Spirits now.
Great 'family focused' memories at Oakview ToysRUs (think 'Jingle All the Way'). Standing in checkout line on Dec 23, 1998 at like midnight.. packed full of shoppers. Out of corner of eye, saw store employee placing small boxes in a row on a shelf at customer service. Realized everyone around me was beginning to see what I was seeing. I left wife and the violent rush began, I got to customer service first and claimed two Furbys for my kids for Christmas. (have to love Amazon Photos. Even found old Furby photo i had)
Last edited by Stargazer on Thu Sep 25, 2025 10:13 am, edited 3 times in total.
Shoot for the Moon... if you miss, you'll land among the stars.
Garrett wrote: Wed Sep 24, 2025 5:07 pm
Was Toys R Us not adequately “family focused” before…?
There wasn't much for children in the stores. It was just a retail store with aisles of goods for purchase. Kids just begged for stuff from their parents. I think Nintendo and Sega had demos setup so you could play a video game just like at Walmart and Target do now.
I'm curious if they will crack down on Wine Beer and Spirits now.
??????? what do you mean by this
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
I think by "family friendly" they mean it's more of an experience for the entire family, and less of a stuffy old-school brick and mortar retail store with aisles and aisles of merch. You can't compete with Amazon on price or convenience -- so they have things like a two-story slide (at the mall store in New Jersey), an old-school arcade (at the Illinois one), etc. to get you in the store and hope you'll buy something while you're there.
BuildTaller wrote: Thu Sep 25, 2025 9:43 amI'm curious if they will crack down on Wine Beer and Spirits now.
??????? what do you mean by this
Geoffrey
Ah, I got it - because they left the goofy giraffe up on the signage at the liquor store. Not sure how that works since they went through a bankruptcy... do they get to bring back the exact same trademarks that were previously dead?
I guess we will find out - I'm sure they don't want little Billy asking their parents why the Toys R Us giraffe is boozin' it up by Oakview mall.
thenewguy wrote: Tue Oct 28, 2025 10:08 am
looks like Toys R Us is going to have 8 permanent stores, and Omaha still gets one. I'm actually pretty excited about it, they used to be awesome.
I do think it's exciting - I don't feel like kids today appreciate toy stores like I did in the 80's... Children's Palace and Toys R Us were essentially next door neighbors on Dodge St at one time, and it was amazing if I could convince my parents to take me there.
The one thing I did not like about Toys R Us as a fan of LEGO products was that they had a lot of exclusiveproducts as far as sets they sold. Target, Walmart, etc who would of course be more competitively priced weren't given the same sets to offer online or in stores. Once TRU went belly-up, LEGO had to do an about face to try and salvage their relationships with the big box stores... I don't see LEGO giving TRU exclusives again as they simply won't have the footprint/presence to make it worthwhile. It's all about the $$$ and LEGO would be foolish to tarnish what they've built with the box stores now.
Anyway, enough of my rant about that... if TRU's store in Westroads is considered a flagship location, I would imagine the improvements they're going to make the space should be more permanent, and not resemble the calendar pop up shops as much.
Is the Toys R Us at Westroads open yet? From memory, it was supposed to open in November by Thanksgiving, but I have not seen anything that says it is.
I was in Des Moines a couple of weeks ago, and the one at Jordan Creek Mall was open. Did not go to it, though
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
Not sure how old the Grow Omaha photos are, but in the photos, there were still empty racks and the other photo Toys R Us spelled Westroads wrong on their history display.
Not sure how old the Grow Omaha photos are, but in the photos, there were still empty racks and the other photo Toys R Us spelled Westroads wrong on their history display.
Has anyone been? I’d like to see pics - if it looks like a Spirit Halloween store with empty shelves I don’t have high hopes for it to last.
Not sure how old the Grow Omaha photos are, but in the photos, there were still empty racks and the other photo Toys R Us spelled Westroads wrong on their history display.
Has anyone been? I’d like to see pics - if it looks like a Spirit Halloween store with empty shelves I don’t have high hopes for it to last.
Here's one of the exterior. There may be more on OWH's website, but probably behind a pay wall.
I was there after they opened. They had pallets stuck in KC from the snow storm, so there were still empty shelves. Downstairs is supposed to have a candy shop if I read the signs right.
Still don't understand how their setup at Westroads has stayed in business as long as it has. I'd say 90% of the offerings there are incredibly overpriced and do not taste great.
djc311 wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 1:39 pm
Still don't understand how their setup at Westroads has stayed in business as long as it has. I'd say 90% of the offerings there are incredibly overpriced and do not taste great.
djc311 wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 1:39 pm
Still don't understand how their setup at Westroads has stayed in business as long as it has. I'd say 90% of the offerings there are incredibly overpriced and do not taste great.
I joked when it opened that Flagship Commons was the gentrification of the mall food court. lol
djc311 wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 1:39 pm
Still don't understand how their setup at Westroads has stayed in business as long as it has. I'd say 90% of the offerings there are incredibly overpriced and do not taste great.
I joked when it opened that Flagship Commons was the gentrification of the mall food court. lol
Honestly, I miss "normal" offerings... or at least more of them. I'd cruise over to Westroads on lunch occasionally to get Great Steak and Potato, Subway, Sbarro, etc... sure, none of them are amazing, but it was a mall food court and I feel it's nice to cater to the masses, so to speak.
djc311 wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 1:39 pm
Still don't understand how their setup at Westroads has stayed in business as long as it has. I'd say 90% of the offerings there are incredibly overpriced and do not taste great.
Probably a sweetheart long-term lease
I don't go to Westroads often, but when I have by, seems like Raising Canes is doing as much business as the whole food hall.
djc311 wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 1:39 pm
Still don't understand how their setup at Westroads has stayed in business as long as it has. I'd say 90% of the offerings there are incredibly overpriced and do not taste great.
Probably a sweetheart long-term lease
I don't go to Westroads often, but when I have by, seems like Raising Canes is doing as much business as the whole food hall.
ISn't Subway still there too
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
djc311 wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 1:39 pm
Still don't understand how their setup at Westroads has stayed in business as long as it has. I'd say 90% of the offerings there are incredibly overpriced and do not taste great.
Probably a sweetheart long-term lease
I don't go to Westroads often, but when I have by, seems like Raising Canes is doing as much business as the whole food hall.
ISn't Subway still there too
You're right! I feel like that food area has had more people eating there than the food hall.
The main food hall is good, but not everyone wants a full $15-20 meal when they are shopping. Although Canes can be expensive they are still mostly under $10.
skinzfan23 wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 1:44 pm
The main food hall is good, but not everyone wants a full $15-20 meal when they are shopping. Although Canes can be expensive they are still mostly under $10.
If we happen to get food at Westroads, it's from Canes. No one in our household wants anything from "Flagship Commons".
djc311 wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 1:47 pm
If we happen to get food at Westroads, it's from Canes. No one in our household wants anything from "Flagship Commons".
skinzfan23 wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 1:44 pm
The main food hall is good, but not everyone wants a full $15-20 meal when they are shopping. Although Canes can be expensive they are still mostly under $10.
If we happen to get food at Westroads, it's from Canes. No one in our household wants anything from "Flagship Commons".
My wife and I ate at the Flagship Commons offerings once a year or so after they all opened. Key word is once. Was able to take that off my bucket list.
The comment earlier about a sweetheart lease deal is likly very true
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
skinzfan23 wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 1:44 pm
The main food hall is good, but not everyone wants a full $15-20 meal when they are shopping. Although Canes can be expensive they are still mostly under $10.
If we happen to get food at Westroads, it's from Canes. No one in our household wants anything from "Flagship Commons".
My wife and I ate at the Flagship Commons offerings once a year or so after they all opened. Key word is once. Was able to take that off my bucket list.
The comment earlier about a sweetheart lease deal is likly very true
I do miss the original food court with fake palm trees. I think it was one of my first experiences of chinese food when my parents would pick up cashew chicken from the spot that used to be on the right side once you entered.
I totally agree. Miss the old food court. I go to the mall but once or twice a year, and its always through Dick's or the generic entrance behind Dick's by JC Penny. By the amount of people, the Cane's, Subway, and Scooters IS the food court. Ever since they did the food hall thing, the mall has been only an in and out thing for me, but darn it if the old food court was there, I'd always stop to eat before I left!
I tried the food hall once. I stopped by every place looking for something good and worth it. I left. There's just nothing "normal" there, so thats why we go to canes and subway. Too bad that's it.
Busguy2010 wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 9:38 pm
I totally agree. Miss the old food court. I go to the mall but once or twice a year, and its always through Dick's or the generic entrance behind Dick's by JC Penny. By the amount of people, the Cane's, Subway, and Scooters IS the food court. Ever since they did the food hall thing, the mall has been only an in and out thing for me, but darn it if the old food court was there, I'd always stop to eat before I left!
I tried the food hall once. I stopped by every place looking for something good and worth it. I left. There's just nothing "normal" there, so thats why we go to canes and subway. Too bad that's it.
Exactly - if you’re shopping on a weekend and have kids with you, you don’t want $20 ramen in dirty sink water. Or a piece of sushi… and the thing is, it’s not even the same food at their other restaurants.
They should pull the plug on that dead spot and convert it into something like they had before. That lease should almost be up… probably 20 years tops?
Brad wrote: Tue May 12, 2026 2:50 pm
Grow Omaha recently reported that the Dillard's work has begun. Today from Dodge street I could see a crane, a dumpster, and a construction fence.
Happy to see. Their Oak View Mall location has been looking a little worn for quite some time. You can tell it's been on "minimum maintenance" for a like a decade. I'd rather have one great mall than 3 mediocre ones.
(have to love Amazon Photos. Even found old Furby photo i had)
