Shoppers, Downtown toy store owner react to Toys R Us closures

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. — According to several national reports, Toys R Us management told employees the company will close or sell all 800 of its stores in the United States.

Employees at the Toys R Us location in Hempfield Township may be among the 33,000 without a job soon.

According to reports, we could see "Going Out of Business" signs outside the stores any day now.
Channel 11 talked with shoppers who had mixed emotions.

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One woman said there is a lot of talk about the topic on social media, and one of her friends grew concerned after recently buying a gift card for the store.

"When she went up to the store, she decided she was just going to spend it, rather than give it to her grandson, and the people at the register told her, oh no, they're not closing, but then the people in the back said to spend it, because they're going under," Linda Dalzell said. "Yeah, like they didn't know how long it would be."

Channel 11 approached some employees at the store as they came to work, but they didn’t want to comment.

At Downtown staple S.W. Randall Toyes and Giftes, owner Jack Cohen tries to make each shopping trip an experience to differentiate himself from big box stores like Toys R Us.

“I hear it every day,” he said. “People find us or they're old customers. They come back, they say, ‘We're so glad you're still here.’”

The Toys R Us news took Cohen by surprise.

“I was shocked when I heard that originally,” he said.

Experts say Toys R Us crumbled under competition from big box stores and especially online retailers. Cohen says he’s also taken a hit from Internet shopping and has actually started selling items through Amazon.

“It's been good for us,” he said. “Obviously brick-and-mortar stores are in trouble.”

But Cohen says he’s managed to stick around by standing out with unique novelties, collectibles and even events.

“I think that's our secret, and it's worked for 48 years. Thank God,” he said.

Cox Media Group