Toys "R" Us Canada

{{short description|Canadian toy store chain}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Toys "R" Us (Canada) Ltd.

| logo = Toys “R” Us Canada logo (new).svg

| logo_size = 280px

| image = ToysRUsOntario5.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| image_caption = An Ontario Toys "R" Us store in 2018

| former_name =

| type = Subsidiary

| trade_name = Toys "R" Us Canada

| foundation = {{Start date and age|1984}}

| defunct =

| hq_location = Concord (Vaughan), Ontario, Canada

| num_locations = 81

| area_served = {{flat list|

• Canada

}}

| industry = Retail

| products = {{ubl|Toys|Clothing|Baby products|Video games|}}

| brands = HMV Canada {{small|(2024–present)}}

| owner =

| num_employees =

| divisions = {{ubl|Babies "R" Us Canada {{small|(1996–present)}}
Rooms + Spaces}} {{small|(2023–2025)}}

| num_employees_year =

| parent = Toys "R" Us, Inc. {{small|(1984-2018)}}
Fairfax Financial {{small|(2018-2021)}}
Putman Investments {{small|(2021-present)}}

| website = {{URL|https://www.toysrus.ca}}

}}

Toys "R" Us (Canada) Ltd. is a Canadian chain of toy stores. It was founded by the Canadian franchise of U.S. toy retail chain Toys "R" Us; as of 2018, however, it operates independently and is based in Concord, Ontario, and throughout Canada.

It was owned by its American parent company from 1984 to 2018. In September 2017, Toys "R" Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and closed all U.S. locations in June 2018.{{Cite news |last=Bhattarai |first=Abha |date=March 14, 2018 |title=Toys R Us to close all 800 of its U.S. stores |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/03/14/toys-r-us-to-close-all-800-of-its-u-s-stores/ |accessdate=March 14, 2018}} Toys "R" Us pursued a sale of the Canadian division, including the possibility of bundling them with top-performing U.S. stores. The Canadian unit had annual sales of $1.08 billion at the time of the filing, and had to file for protection from its creditors due to the default of its U.S.-based businesses.{{Cite web |title='Multiple' suitors line up with offers for Toys 'R' Us Canada |url=https://financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/multiple-suitors-line-up-with-offers-for-toys-r-us-canada |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=financialpost |language=en-CA}}

In April 2018, it was announced that Fairfax Financial would acquire the 82 Toys "R" Us locations in Canada for $300 million, with the stores continuing to use the Toys "R" Us name.{{cite news |last=Reyes |first=Anthony |date=June 29, 2018 |title=No need to grow up, you can still be a "Toys 'R' Us Kid" in Canada |publisher=WKBW |url=https://www.wkbw.com/news/no-need-to-grow-up-you-can-still-be-a-toys-r-us-kid-in-canada |access-date=July 12, 2018}}{{Cite web |title=Fairfax agrees $300 million deal to keep Toys 'R' Us Canada open |url=https://financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/fairfax-is-said-to-agree-to-purchase-toys-r-us-canadian-unit |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=financialpost |language=en-CA}} In 2021, Sunrise Records owner Doug Putman, through his Putman Investments, announced he would buy Toys "R" Us Canada (which now comprised 81 locations) from Fairfax Financial.{{Cite web |last=Toneguzzi |first=Mario |date=2021-08-19 |title=Toys R Us Canada Sold to Sunrise Records Owner: Interview with Doug Putman |url=https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2021/08/toys-r-us-canada-sold-to-sunrise-records-owner-interview-with-doug-putman/ |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=Retail Insider |language=en-US}}

In January 2024, the chain announced that it would revive the HMV brand in Canada (which Putman had acquired via Sunrise in 2019){{Cite news |last1=Monaghan |first1=Angela |last2=Butler |first2=Sarah |date=5 February 2019 |title=HMV reveals which 27 stores have closed after sale to Canadian music boss |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/feb/05/hmv-bought-doug-putman-stores-jobs |access-date=5 February 2019 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}} as a store-within-a-store concept at Toys "R" Us Canada locations, stocking music, home video, and memorabilia such as books and clothing. The departments began to launch at selected locations in the Greater Toronto Area, and were expected to be deployed at other locations throughout the year.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-01 |title=HMV making comeback through Toys 'R' Us locations |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/hmv-making-comeback-through-toys-r-us-locations-1.6751315 |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=CTVNews |language=en}}