KB Toys

[XISMZERO]

Here's a few bags I snagged from Toy Works in Torrington last Summer (no, I didn't buy anything). It reminded me of the good old Toy Works in Southington aside from the fact that these bags looked very outdated. Oh yeah, also visited a K-B Toy Works in Keene, NH recently...

[Caldor1999]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
Here's a few bags I snagged from Toy Works in Torrington last Summer (no, I didn't buy anything). It reminded me of the good old Toy Works in Southington aside from the fact that these bags looked very outdated. Oh yeah, also visited a K-B Toy Works in Keene, NH recently...

O WOW!!!!!  thought the y all chaged to KB i havent seen a Toy Works in years KB  aucrered them in 1997 98i beileve or they might have been runed by KB idk

[BillyGr]

Here's a KB Toyworks in Pittsfield in the Allendale Shopping Center at the corner of Route 8 & 9.  This is an older plaza, so it's not surprising to see the Toyworks name here.

[XISMZERO]

Here's an old Kay-Bee Toy Store located at the Mountain View Plaza in Naugatuck, Connecticut which is being occupied by an independent company. The signage are still displayed and the fixtures remain inside as well! This Kay-Bee is located next to the vacant Ames building.

[XISMZERO]

Both pictures were taken on March 29, 2006. Not too sure when this Kay-Bee went out of business.

[d_fife]

brunswick me

[Marc82]

Finally had a chance to go to the part of Shaw's Plaza in Southington where KB Toyworks used to be. They've subdivided it to put a Citi Bank branch in there. With Shaw's closing down in 43 days I'm going to say Shaw's plaza is gonna go under in 6 months if they don't fill the Shaw's spot. I just hope Bernie's does not plan to move into the old Shaw's. That would be horrible. That plaza needs a grocery store. There are a lot  of elderly people who live in that area. Plus there's been a grocery store in that plaza for more than 25 years. Until 1981 where Bernies is now was a Waldbaum's Foodmart (which moved to Caldor Village Plaza). Then in 1981 Finast (which became Edwards) opened in the plaza where an independent Department Store called GE Madison's was located. Then Edward's became Shaw's in October 96.

[Marc82]

Here's the old KB in Southington. It's being turned into a Citi Bank branch and vacant space. This picture was taken at 6:45AM Tuesday 9/26/06. Don't know why it's so blury. I had to be careful taking this picture because there was a contractor working inside the bank.  The bank is on the left. The vacant store is on the right.

Side note: Not visable in the picture is a Strawberrie's CD Store. It looks like their sign caught fire because the whole front is ripped off the sign and it looks like the rest of the sign is all melted.

Call me evil, but too bad the fire didn't spread and destroy the whole plaza. It wouldn't been the best thing to happen to the plaza.

*Also at 1AM Saturday 9/16/06 a Price Chopper Tractor Trailer came through the plaza, smashed down a cement collumn in the parking lot and wiped out a Shaw's cart.*

[d_fife]

Originally posted by Marc82
Here's the old KB in Southington. It's being turned into a Citi Bank branch and vacant space. This picture was taken at 6:45AM Tuesday 9/26/06. Don't know why it's so blury. I had to be careful taking this picture because there was a contractor working inside the bank.  The bank is on the left. The vacant store is on the right.

Side note: Not visable in the picture is a Strawberrie's CD Store. It looks like their sign caught fire because the whole front is ripped off the sign and it looks like the rest of the sign is all melted.

Call me evil, but too bad the fire didn't spread and destroy the whole plaza. It wouldn't been the best thing to happen to the plaza.

*Also at 1AM Saturday 9/16/06 a Price Chopper Tractor Trailer came through the plaza, smashed down a cement collumn in the parking lot and wiped out a Shaw's cart.*

you are not evil for saying that. it would make the plaza have to get remodeled. the plaza looked somewhat old, but not the worst.

I went to crystal mall a few weeks ago and that kb is an educational store and the store was white (I could tell that was a KB toys).

Kb toys is no longer in most of the 10 largest malls in america: mall of america, south coast plaza, palasades mall. probably leases are too high.

kb toys in king of prussia is no longer under the list of stores in the kb toys locations in PA. but I was at that one in june and it was busy and it had a modern KB toys logo.

well I agree with my dad on saying this: KB AND LEASES DONT MIX.

[XISMZERO]

Here's an old-school Kay Bee Toys from the Oakdale Mall in Johnson City. It's facade is probably 1980's and has been changed over the years rebranded to K-B Toys but not this store!

[XISMZERO]

Here's a Kay Bee Toys at the Newburgh Mall in Newburgh, NY. This was the second checkerboard 80's Kay Bee sighting in one day!

[XISMZERO]

Here's a "Kay Bee" in Patchogue, New York (Long Island). Check out that bizarre logo.

[HoJofan206]

Are ALL of the Kay Bee town stores now out of business or do some still remain today (in 2007)?

[d_fife]

Originally posted by HoJofan206
Are ALL of the Kay Bee town stores now out of business or do some still remain today (in 2007)?

half of them from before bankruptcy remain open.

[powersbt]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
Here's a "Kay Bee" in Patchogue, New York (Long Island). Check out that bizarre logo.

I believe that was Kay Bee's Old School Logo. If you ever catch reruns of Double Dare on Nick GAS, you can see Ads for Kay Bee on there. Also can see some really cool Old School Toys R Us Promos on there.

[XISMZERO]

Kay Bee/K-B Toys (and former off-mall since closed subsidary Toy Works) has been in deep trouble in the past years. They no longer sell video games and their stores look heavily liquidated as if they're going out of business or an outlet store. The warmth their stores used to have, kind of like Toys R Us but not to the same extent, has been gone for a long time.

A few years ago when they purged a slew of their stores in my area, I knew they didn't have too much to go. I'm wholly surprised the chain isn't completely closed by now. They're, without any doubt, in their last wave.

[dmx10101]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
Kay Bee/K-B Toys (and former off-mall since closed subsidary Toy Works) has been in deep trouble in the past years. They no longer sell video games and their stores look heavily liquidated as if they're going out of business or an outlet store. The warmth their stores used to have, kind of like Toys R Us but not to the same extent, has been gone for a long time.

A few years ago when they purged a slew of their stores in my area, I knew they didn't have too much to go. I'm wholly surprised the chain isn't completely closed by now. They're, without any doubt, in their last wave.

Thats true everytime I go by one of their stores it always looks like they are closing..

[Caldor1999]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
Here's a Kay Bee Toys at the Newburgh Mall in Newburgh, NY. This was the second checkerboard 80's Kay Bee sighting in one day!

 thats the compact they used in the early 90's like 1990 1991 danbuy mall store use to lookliek that and so did teh jefferson vally one to they bouth have chaged there looks but theres one in the mall in whit elanes which still has the early 90's compact and i believe they did not change the inside of it eather

[Loki]

I remember in the mid to late '70s a store called Toy and Hobby World, there were 3 at local malls (Trumbull Shopping Park-Trumbull, CT , The Ansonia Mall- Ansonia, CT and The Naugatuck Valley Mall-Waterbury, CT), these soon changed their names to Kay Bee Toy and Hobby World and later dropped the 'and Hobby World (the Ansonia Mall one closed shortly after the name change). I'm guessing that KB bought out this chain back then as this was my first exposure to them. I remember buying my first Star Wars figure, an R2-D2 at Toy and Hobby World in 1978 for a whopping $7.99, my mother went nuts, especially when the following week I got some  at Child World for $.99.

[Marc82]

My co-worker Jeff and I went to the KB at the Westfield Shopping Town in Meirden tonight. There wasn't much for us guys who are in our twenties. Most of the stuff in there was for really young kids and they were even playing a song from Barney & Friends. The worst part was my buddy Jeff was singing along to the Barney song. As we were leaving the store I said loud enough for the clerk to hear "Jeff, if you liked that song so much why don't you ask the clerk if they have it on CD".

The last time I was at a KB was the one at the Plainville Commons back in May 2006. My buddy Paul and I went and there was a much bigger selection of stuff for us guys in our 20s.

[justinguy276]

The KB Toys in the Stamford Town Center mall abruptly closed as I went to the mall earlier this week. I saw no article or anything about their closing. Perhaps they are clothing for a renovation. I doubt it though considering that it's all boarded up (with white blocks) with no message written on the walls about that.

[d_fife]

Originally posted by justinguy276
The KB Toys in the Stamford Town Center mall abruptly closed as I went to the mall earlier this week. I saw no article or anything about their closing. Perhaps they are clothing for a renovation. I doubt it though considering that it's all boarded up (with white blocks) with no message written on the walls about that.

it is not on the store locator!!!! I plan to visit this mall this summer.

the one in the berkshire mall in lanesboro is too.

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by justinguy276
The KB Toys in the Stamford Town Center mall abruptly closed as I went to the mall earlier this week. I saw no article or anything about their closing. Perhaps they are clothing for a renovation. I doubt it though considering that it's all boarded up (with white blocks) with no message written on the walls about that.

I've got a few pictures of the Kay Bee at Stamford Town Center from this past Summer (2006). Unfortunately, I'm not at my home computer right now but I'll post them tomorrow. I think there's a few in my Yahoo album actually.

I wonder what's happening with Kay Bee. They're, no doubt, in their gravest years yet having closed stores in the past years but they're miraculously holding on. They opened a brand new store at Westfield Conn. Post (Milford, CT) last Summer, which greatly surprised me seeing their woes. It's possible to suspect either end of the spectrum - I'm likely to believe they're shuttering for good at Stamford Town Center. Places who renovate usually let their customers know.

I took over 200 pictures of the amazing Stamford Town Center and plan to go back and take more this Spring or Summer (as my skills have advanced since). It's a wonderfully built [Taubman] mall even if the offerings are quite ordinary. Security never gave me trouble, and didn't even care when they saw my camera with me when I trespassed on the roof (non-access) but a friend of mine was told "absolutely not" to take pictures from his recent visit. We'll see what happens when I go back...

[d_fife]

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by justinguy276
The KB Toys in the Stamford Town Center mall abruptly closed as I went to the mall earlier this week. I saw no article or anything about their closing. Perhaps they are clothing for a renovation. I doubt it though considering that it's all boarded up (with white blocks) with no message written on the walls about that.

I've got a few pictures of the Kay Bee at Stamford Town Center from this past Summer (2006). Unfortunately, I'm not at my home computer right now but I'll post them tomorrow. I think there's a few in my Yahoo album actually.

I wonder what's happening with Kay Bee. They're, no doubt, in their gravest years yet having closed stores in the past years but they're miraculously holding on. They opened a brand new store at Westfield Conn. Post (Milford, CT) last Summer, which greatly surprised me seeing their woes. It's possible to suspect either end of the spectrum - I'm likely to believe they're shuttering for good at Stamford Town Center. Places who renovate usually let their customers know.

I took over 200 pictures of the amazing Stamford Town Center and plan to go back and take more this Spring or Summer (as my skills have advanced since). It's a wonderfully built [Taubman] mall even if the offerings are quite ordinary. Security never gave me trouble, and didn't even care when they saw my camera with me when I trespassed on the roof (non-access) but a friend of mine was told "absolutely not" to take pictures from his recent visit. We'll see what happens when I go back...

well those closings have to do with lease issues. King of prussia closed last fall and the one in berlin mall in barre vt did. Every year around now KB would close a few stores. but its not part of a mass purge.

[XISMZERO]

Here's the Kay Bee, now closed, at Stamford Town Center (Stamford, CT). Took this shot on July 24, 2006.

Originally posted by d_fifewell those closings have to do with lease issues. King of prussia closed last fall and the one in berlin mall in barre vt did. Every year around now KB would close a few stores. but its not part of a mass purge.

K-B Toys entered Chapter 11 in 2004. They closed 365 locations following that. That's a mass purge. Since then, it seems they've been "dripping" in closure i.e. locations have just been closing as a fallout of the company's bankruptcy woes. This has everything to do with their lease issues; they simply can't keep up financially.

I don't think it can be argued that Kay Bee has declined and is suffering a great deal over the last few years judging by their disappearance of locations all around. But just look; their stores are looking like heavily depleted outlets and they ceased traffic in video games just a few years ago which used to keep them very competitive with Toys R Us.

Explain what you mean by lease issue... I believe the company is systematically downsizing and has been as a trend of decline due to their bankruptcy. So, they're holding onto what they've got and what they can manage. I don't want to cast dark clouds on them but it's going to see the end of them very soon as I truly believe these are the chain's last year(s).

Just walk by a store: you can see it with your very own eyes. Much like Toys "R" Us, they are hurting a great deal from an inability to adapt with changes in market trends. If that wasn't true, TRU would've shuttered 87 stores last year apart from another factor of them taking control from earlier expansion years.

[XISMZERO]

Here's a K-B Toys "Coming Soon" at Westfield Connecticut Post (Milford, CT) as of August 2006.

This is interesting because the chain is undoubtably having problems closing down a whole bunch of stores. Yet, opening new stores with fresh images is nothing new to retailers who are having troubles. I assume this store is open now, haven't been back to the mall since August '06.

[d_fife]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
Here's the Kay Bee, now closed, at Stamford Town Center (Stamford, CT). Took this shot on July 24, 2006.

Originally posted by d_fifewell those closings have to do with lease issues. King of prussia closed last fall and the one in berlin mall in barre vt did. Every year around now KB would close a few stores. but its not part of a mass purge.

Maybe I used the wrong term there. It's not a mass purge (even though I'd describe that as such a few years back when many stores closed in Connecticut) but I don't think it can be argued that Kay Bee has declined and is suffering a great deal over the last few years judging by their disappearance of locations all around. But just look; their stores are looking like heavily depleted outlets and they ceased traffic in video games just a few years ago.

Explain what you mean by lease issue... that could very much factor into their losing stores: because they can't keep sales high enough to keep stores open thus downsizing to keep only their essential locations going. I believe the company is systematically downsizing to hold onto what they've got and can manage and eventually, it's going to see the end of them. I truly believe these are the chain's last year(s). Just walk by a store: you can see it with your very own eyes. Much like Toys "R" Us, they are hurting a great deal from an inability to adapt with changes in market trends. If that wasn't true, TRU would've shuttered 87 stores last year apart from another factor of them taking control from earlier expansion years.

ceasing video game is dumb.

Toys r us' problems are not as great as KB toys. No way. They had  good christmas.

KB closed all stores around cleveland and left the outelt store 25 miles away in aurora. They are only 44 states. they are no longer in the mall of america. How dumb!!! and palisades mall. I went to crystal mall last september and the store is a puzzle store. I Went to the one in saugus mass in square one mall and no one was in it. The one that closed in Berlin mall in barre, I went there 2 years ago and no one was in it. MY dad finds KB Toys lackluster.  all their wyoming stores closed and ther was never a Toys r us there so there is no real toy store in wyoming (That state too has no kohl's or borders). They closed all their alaska stores, well probably due to distribution. They pulled out of the states of Alaska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, North Dakoda and south dakoda. and its only KB branches in Idaho, Kansas, Utah, Iowa, Oregon, Colorado, Missisippi and Minnesota is KB toy outlet. (Idaho, Kansas, Iowa and minnesota have one and Oregon, Utah, Missisippi and colorado have 3 or 4). Only one KB toy is left in Washington state - in vancouver and that state has 3 or 4 kb toy outlets. KB toys is nearly a regional at this point

michigan got hit hard as did Ohio and connecticut and Rhode island. rhode island has 2 kb toys left and 2 toy works.

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by d_fife


ceasing video game is dumb.

Toys r us' problems are not as great as KB toys. No way. They had  good christmas.

KB closed all stores around cleveland and left the outelt store 25 miles away in aurora. They are only 44 states. they are no longer in the mall of america. How dumb!!! and palisades mall. I went to crystal mall last september and the store is a puzzle store. I Went to the one in saugus mass in square one mall and no one was in it. The one that closed in Berlin mall in barre, I went there 2 years ago and no one was in it. MY dad finds KB Toys lackluster.  all their wyoming stores closed and ther was never a Toys r us there so there is no real toy store in wyoming (That state too has no kohl's or borders). They closed all their alaska stores, well probably due to distribution. They pulled out of the states of Alaska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, North Dakoda and south dakoda. and its only KB branches in Idaho, Kansas, Utah, Iowa, Oregon, Colorado, Missisippi and Minnesota is KB toy outlet. (Idaho, Kansas, Iowa and minnesota have one and Oregon, Utah, Missisippi and colorado have 3 or 4). Only one KB toy is left in Washington state - in vancouver and that state has 3 or 4 kb toy outlets. KB toys is nearly a regional at this point

michigan got hit hard as did Ohio and connecticut and Rhode island. rhode island has 2 kb toys left and 2 toy works.

Appearently while you were responding I've revised my statement. I can repost it....

[XISMZERO]

K-B Toy Works; Torrington, CT. 3-9-07.

Another interesting discovery. This K-B Toys was once located on the otherside of the plaza a few years back. Now, it appears to be moved. I could be wrong...

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by d_fife
brunswick me

Sign inside the Mall in Brunswick: