Geoffrey the Giraffe is coming back to Huntsville.
Toys“R”Us will return to Bridge Street Town Centre with a 5,528-square-foot Express pop-up shop, bringing the familiar toy store back to a shopping center where it once operated a much larger standalone location.
The Toys“R”Us Express is coming soon and will be located near the Bridge Street fountain, on the corner across from Great American Cookie. An exact opening date was not announced.
The smaller-format store will offer a curated selection of toys, including arts and crafts, action figures, puzzles, electronics, books and games.
“We’re excited to welcome Toys“R”Us Express to Bridge Street Town Centre and bring another fun, family-focused experience to our guests,” Bridge Street Marketing Director Marcie Glover said. “The addition of such an iconic brand further enhances the variety of experiences available at Bridge Street and gives families another reason to visit, explore and spend time together.”
For longtime Huntsville shoppers, both the name and the location will be familiar.
A 58,000-square-foot combined Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us superstore opened at 6884 Governors West at Bridge Street in 2011. It was part of the retailer’s big-box era, before Toys“R”Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2017 and closed its remaining U.S. stores in 2018.
The old Huntsville store was among hundreds shuttered nationwide as the company liquidated its U.S. operations.
The former Bridge Street toy store later found a second life as an entertainment destination. Main Event opened in the space in 2022 with bowling, arcade games, laser tag and other attractions.
The Toys“R”Us brand, meanwhile, survived the collapse of the former retail chain and has gradually returned to brick-and-mortar shopping under new ownership, including smaller stores, seasonal locations and shops inside Macy’s stores.
The new Toys“R”Us pop-up at Bridge Street will be considerably smaller than its predecessor. At 5,528 square feet, the Express store will be less than one-tenth the size of the former 58,000-square-foot Huntsville superstore.
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