Toys “R” Us Canada is gearing up for the holiday season.
The retailer, which has operated as an independent, privately held company since the collapse of the original Toys “R” Us in the U.S. in 2018, has assembled a list of hot toys for the holiday season. The list spans collectibles, playsets, and more, and is toplined by a dozen picks that are expected to top Canadian kids’ wish lists this year.
“We want to give parents, grandparents, relatives — anyone buying for kids they love — the tools to spark young imaginations, to send them in new directions,” says Allyson Banks, marketing director at Toys “R” Us Canada. “We’ve hand-picked really special toys, games, and gear that will deliver huge thrills for kids and make big heroes of the grownups who give them!”
Several of the items on the list are exclusive to Toys “R” Us Canada, including the LiteHawk Highway Patrol Slot Car Set, LEGO City Freight Train, Rainbocorns Unicorn Rescue Surprise (ZURU), and Bluey’s Ultimate Caravan Adventures Playset (Moose Toys).
Last year, Putman Investments, a family-owned, Canadian company, purchased Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us Canada from affiliates of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. In 2018, Fairfax took TRU Canada private as a standalone company following the bankruptcy of Toys “R” Us in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Outside of Canada, Toys “R” Us is owned by WHP Global which manages licensing for the company and its brands. A new, double-decker Toys “R” Us global flagship store operated under license by Brooklyn’s Toys 4 U opened at the American Dream mall in New Jersey just before Christmas last year. Toys “R” Us is currently in the midst of a national rollout for its new departments at Macy’s with a grand opening celebration set to begin on Oct. 15.
Toys “R” Us currently exists with more than 900 stores and e-commerce sites operating across 25 countries.
Looking for the ULTIMATE Hot Holiday Toy List?
Consumers looking for the ultimate hot holiday toy list are encouraged to check out The Toy Insider’s 17th annual Holiday Gift Guide. The hottest and most coveted products for 2022 are broken out into three toy lists: the Hot 20, the toys topping every kid’s wish list; the STEM 10, playthings to hone kids’ STEM skills; and the 12 Under $20, high-value toys and games that don’t break the bank. This year’s complete holiday gift guide has more than 360 toys from 145 toymakers.