KB Toys

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

and of the one in Pittsfield Mass being gone why did it close with the rest of them , I mean it has 50,000 ppl and there are NO TOY STORES THERE, what will the kids do

Yes, there are SOME TOY STORES THERE, look:
https://www.google.com/#q=TOY+STORES+IN+PITTSFIELD%2C+MASSACHUSETTS

[JimSawhill]

is it a total loss Kb toys closed? Why did it happen? What went wrong? And, why did ones like Keene close when its the only store of its kind aroind?

What went wrong?? Mismanagement was the biggest cause. KB could have worked (as would lots of small businesses) if they didn't get greedy. I mean if I opened JS Toys, What I would do is to hire associates who were interested in the kind of toys I would sell. I would do hobbies (model trains and slot cars), learning toys and board games. I wouldn't try to compete with Toy R Us, because I would tell the customers about the products I would sell.

[ynkeesfn82]

Part of the old KB in Southington, CT is now Buffalo Wild Wings. Another part of it is Fro-Yo World. It's not built out yet, but according to the landlord's website there's a spot along the side of the BWW that is 3700+ Square Feet that makes up the rest of the old KB.

Picture taken by me today 2/11/14.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21191136@N03/12469771603/

[bubcolbert1952]

We need more "Learning Express" toy stores out in the world. I only know about one but it's nicely small and could fit anywhere. You could call it minimal, but it has a nice selection.

[Hudsons81]

The photo below is of the former KB Toys store inside Southland Center in Taylor, MI (in the concourse to the former Mervyn's store) which, after KB folded, became a local gift store named Hodge Podge, which then closed in late spring-early summer 2012, which then became one of Skin Tan Leather's two locations (relocating from the JCPenney concourse due to rue21 moving into their space)

That space is now occupied by Torrid, who has been forced to move out of their space directly on the West Court (where they had been since they opened in late 2012 or early 2013) as H&M is taking over their old space.

[Ameskid]

Some low-res shots from the Eastgate Mall location in Union Township, OH.

Former KB Toys, Eastgate Mall by Harvestman Man, on Flickr
Former KB Toys, Eastgate Mall by Harvestman Man, on Flickr

After closing, the location became another toy store. They didn't bother changing much from when KB closed.  For the first couple of years it was only open around the Christmas shopping season, but it later became a full-time mall tenant.

Former KB Toys in Eastgate, OH by Harvestman Man, on Flickr
Former KB Toys, Eastgate Mall by Harvestman Man, on Flickr
Former KB Toys, Eastgate Mall by Harvestman Man, on Flickr

Unfortunately, this location and some adjacent stores in the mall were torn up a little over a year ago to provide space for a new Shoe Dept. Encore store.

[JoshAustin610]

Go! Toys And Games is part of Calendar Holdings, a company that primarily opens seasonal pop-up calendar, board game, or toy stores.  They occasionally have some year-round stores in higher volume malls or premium outlets, but not as many as they used to (there was a longtime one in the Lehigh Valley Mall in PA that closed in early 2008).

[TRJ_22487]

December 1996 Mother making decisions at Kay Bee Toys counter



May 1997 Man buying Tamagotchi for daughters at Kay Bee Toys

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

KB Toys planning comeback after demise of Toys R Us

By Lisa Fickenscher, New York Post

March 19, 2018 | 9:48pm | Updated

The defunct KB Toys brand is planning a comeback â€" after nearly a decade in mothballs.

Hoping to capitalize on the apparent demise of Toys R Us, the California company that bought the KB brand in 2016 is in talks with pop-up operators to open stores in malls before Black Friday, it said on Monday.

Ellia Kassoff, the chief executive of Strategic Marks, which bought the KB brand from the US Trademark Office after previous owner Toys R Us let it go dormant, said he will open as many stores as possible later this year.

Kassoff is a collector of dead retail brands. His company owns Bamberger’s, I. Magnin, Bullock’s the Hydrox cookie brand and others.

“My original idea for the KB brand was to relaunch it online,” but everything changed when Toys R Us said it would liquidate its 730 stores, Kassoff told The Post.

Strategic Marks is in talks with Go! Retail Group, Spencer Spirit Holdings and Party City to provide the real estate â€" as well as major toy manufacturers, including Mattel, Kassoff said.

“KB Toys’ speciality was selling discontinued and discounted merchandise,” said Chris Byrne, executive director and content director for TTPM, a toy review website. “I could absolutely see this working, especially with all of the merchandise out there that was earmarked for Toys R Us.”

To be sure, Walmart, Target, Amazon and others are expected to increase their toy offerings, experts say. Toys R Us accounted for about 12 percent of US toy sales last year, according to The NPD Group.

https://nypost.com/2018/03/19/kb-toys-planning-comeback-after-demise-of-toys-r-us/

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

As we all know, KB is planning a huge comeback after Toys "R" Us' big demise. KB's new owners have big plans for the KB Toys holiday revival.

KB's newest incarnation will have stores in two sizes:

* KB Toys: normal sized KB stores to fill in spaces in shopping malls and strip malls.

* KB Experience: large-format KB Toy stores (about the size of Toys "R" Us). Each store will have birthday party rooms and a cafe in addition to a large selection of toys.

http://comicbook.com/2018/05/12/kb-toys-details-comeback-plan/

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

With Toys "R" Us dead and gone (for the time being), we want KB Toys more than ever! Only four more months!

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

As some of us know from the KB Toys Facebook page, Ellia Kassoff has not forgotten about reviving KB Toys. He cancelled the plans to open pop-up stores during the holiday season of 2018 to focus on procuring the funding for a full-scale revival of KB Toys in the second quarter of 2019.

[Retail_247]

apparently k b toys had some stores inside of some sears stores.

I found a picture proving this:

https://twitter.com/rememberkbtoys/status/1144989924057321472?s=19