Child World/Children's Palace

[Crawford]

Popular toy store that was scattered throughout New England and the Mid Atlantic states. Prices were very low and the stores were bright and well lit. They also sold baby furniture, bicycles and later video games systems. Most if not all underwent a series of moving or remodeling in the 80's. The newer buildings had a castle like facade, a warehouse type interior and a mascot "Peter Panda" was added to their commercials. Went out of business in the 90's. I still don't see why this happened. Toys R Us was much more expensive, the Child World stores were in prime locations and the big box stores like Wal-Mart had yet to enter the scene.

Locations I know

East Providence RI--relocated to Seekonk Mass in 1984-85. Building was vacant for about a decade then Pep Boys moved in and heavily altered the inside and out.

Seekonk Mass--located at the end of the Seekonk Square shopping plaza. Closed in 1991-92 and was replaced by a HomeLife store. Facade was changed from castle look to a plain white front

Cranston RI--left the Garden City plaza, moved up Route 2 next door to Zayre(now a Building 19) closed in 1992 and was replaced by Syms. The castle turrets are still visible

Woonsocket RI--had the globe logo and the plain brick front. Closed in 1992 and was vacant until being demolished for a Lowe's.

North Dartmouth Mass--I know there was one in the North Dartmouth Mall that closed in the late 80's. I do not know what replaced it.

I also believe the headquarters was in Avon Mass.

[Caldor1999]

this store wetn out in 1994 i believe there was one in yonkers that clsoed around that time

[d_fife]

Originally posted by Crawford
Popular toy store that was scattered throughout New England and the Mid Atlantic states. Prices were very low and the stores were bright and well lit. They also sold baby furniture, bicycles and later video games systems. Most if not all underwent a series of moving or remodeling in the 80's. The newer buildings had a castle like facade, a warehouse type interior and a mascot "Peter Panda" was added to their commercials. Went out of business in the 90's. I still don't see why this happened. Toys R Us was much more expensive, the Child World stores were in prime locations and the big box stores like Wal-Mart had yet to enter the scene.

Locations I know

East Providence RI--relocated to Seekonk Mass in 1984-85. Building was vacant for about a decade then Pep Boys moved in and heavily altered the inside and out.

Seekonk Mass--located at the end of the Seekonk Square shopping plaza. Closed in 1991-92 and was replaced by a HomeLife store. Facade was changed from castle look to a plain white front

Cranston RI--left the Garden City plaza, moved up Route 2 next door to Zayre(now a Building 19) closed in 1992 and was replaced by Syms. The castle turrets are still visible

Woonsocket RI--had the globe logo and the plain brick front. Closed in 1992 and was vacant until being demolished for a Lowe's.

North Dartmouth Mass--I know there was one in the North Dartmouth Mall that closed in the late 80's. I do not know what replaced it.

I also believe the headquarters was in Avon Mass.

CFO Fashions replaced the one in North DArtmouth. I was there in 2003 and you could see the castle look!!!!!!! IT opeend 1971. CHILD WORLD WENT BANKRUPT. THAT IS WHY IT CLOSEd. The last time I went to one In salem nh, it was in April 1992, and it was incredibly junky. By the time child world closed, their locations were not in as prime spots.

I know there was one in Saugus that is now Bed bath and beyond, in salem new hampshire, in the rockignham mall and that store is now Christmas tree shops, in nashua outside hte nashua mall plaza and that plaza was demolished into home depot, chelmsford mall in mass, fitchburg in the john fitch plaza that is now the cinema, shrewsbury that is now micheals, springfield mass and the mall it was in became lowe's, west springfield mass in west century plaza, enfield connecticut and it is now media play, medford mass and it is now toys r us, quincy mass, framingham near shoppers world and natick had one in the sherwood plaza until it relocated near shoppers world, outside hanvoer mall, in hyannis in a location that is now TOys r us, westport connecticut that is now Toys r us, one in East haven connecticut that is now Home goods or a relocated TJ maxx ,one in the milford connecticut post mall, one in hamden, one in new london, danvers mass outside liberty tree mall and that is now Compusa, a few around buffalo like in clarence and cheektowaga and in niagara falls that is now a Toys r us, some around ohio and chicago.  

there was one in portland in the pine tree shopping center.

the chain went out in summer 1992. They closed some in spring 1992 and that was when they filed for bankruptcy and started going down in 1985. most of their stores were in the 30000s of square feet.

Here is a picture of the one in portland maine in the pine tree shopping center. it is now mardens.

from http://www.mardenssurplus.com/index.asp?action=stores&str=portland

[store215]

Another Child World-turned- closeout store..this time an Ollies Bargain Outlet (I wonder if all these closeout chains are connected somehow, they all seem awfuly similar)

This store is in Lancaster, PA

[d_fife]

here is  a toys r us that was a child world. it was in niagara falls. the child world opened in 1977 and closed in summer 1992 when all the other child world's closed. toys r us replaced it in november 1992. the child world was 30,000 square feet

from here is the article of the Toys r us in niagara falls closing and a picture of the current liqudation sale

from http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060111/1020039.as

[d_fife]

Originally posted by d_fife
here is  a toys r us that was a child world. it was in niagara falls. the child world opened in 1977 and closed in summer 1992 when all the other child world's closed. toys r us replaced it in november 1992. the child world was 30,000 square feet

from here is the article of the Toys r us in niagara falls closing and a picture of the current liqudation sale

from http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060111/1020039.as

another of the child world in niagara falls

from http://www.buffalobarfly.com/buzz/Buzz224/AP0038-081705.jpg

[d_fife]

50.  Akron Beacon Journal (OH) - July 11, 1992

CHILDREN'S PALACE TO SHUT ITS DOORS UNABLE TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT WITH LIONEL, TOY STORE CHAIN WILL CLOSE DOWN ITS 71 STORES  
  The 17 remaining Children's Palace stores in Ohio will soon close because the chain's parent company, Child World Inc., has been unable to strike a merger with another toy store chain.But discussions with Lionel Corp. have not been broken off, a Child World spokesman said. He stressed that the Canton, Mass., company simply decided to proceed with closing its stores because of uncertainty with the situation.Child World, which filed for bankruptcy...

Children's palace had 2 akron-canton ohio stores. it seems they were the major toy retail place and got there well before toys r us. newslibrary articles for the akron paper said that Toys r us did not come until late 1986. so there was 17 stores in ohio. They had closed 54 stores in spring 1992. When I tried to go to the one in portland maine in june 1992, I was told that they closed months before.

Child world had children's palace stores here http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc0.asp?DOCID=1G1:11566263&num=1&ctrlInfo=Round18%3AMode18c%3ASR%3AResult&ao=&FreePremium=BOTH
says Colorado Has New Toy King

Child World's five Children's Palace Colorado stores closed September 15 following store-wide liquidation sales. The move is seen by local industry observers as the result of an aggressive Toys "R" Us stance since the Paramus, New Jersey-based successful toy retailer entered the Denver market in June, 1990.

A Toys "R" Us spokesman told Children's Business that company executives are so bearish on Colorado they are exploring the possibility of opening a Kids "R" Us retail clothing division store here. Toys "R" Us stores are in Boulder, Aurora, ...

[Caldor1999]

any one have a picture of a childs world?

[d_fife]

here is the children's palace article it says 4 where around cincinnati

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=11&d_sources=location says 20.  The Cincinnati Post - July 17, 1992

CHILDREN'S PALACE CLOSING  
  The four Children's Palace toy stores in Greater Cincinnati will close following a $5.5 million liquidation sale, putting about 120 employees out of business. These stores, along with 67 across the country are closing after parent company, Child World Inc. failed to find a buyer to pull it out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In addition to Western Hills, Children's Palace has stores in Colerain, Florence and Springdale. ...

Purchase Complete Article, of 134 words

and says 21.  Columbus Dispatch, The (OH) - July 23, 1992

AT CHILDREN'S PALACE STORES, IT'S NO LONGER FUN AND GAMES  
  Liquidation signs are replacing new toy shipments at Children's Palace, which is leaving the retail toy market after 25 years.The chain, founded in Columbus, began close-out sales this month, an operation expected to take about eight weeks. The closings, which include the three stores in Columbus at 4300 W. Broad St., 2261 S. Hamilton Rd. and 2296 Morse Rd., are in response to a bankruptcy filing by the parent company, Child World Inc., said Gary Holmes, company spokesman....
 
So th4ere were 3 around columbus.

[Rayco7030]

there was achilds world in the a plaza in west springfield and one in the old springdale mall in springfield right across from the eastfield mall .the sprinbgdale mall is now Lowes plaza

[d_fife]

Originally posted by Rayco7030
there was achilds world in the a plaza in west springfield and one in the old springdale mall in springfield right across from the eastfield mall .the sprinbgdale mall is now Lowes plaza

I believe the one in west springfield is in the same plaza as Ocean state, tj maxx and Big Y. There was one in enfield in the stateline plaza where media plaza is.

[Rayco7030]

7es youre right ther was one in the century plaza in west springfield

[Caldor1999]

any one actley have a picture of there store what did the  logo look like

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by MBZ321
Another Child World-turned- closeout store..this time an Ollies Bargain Outlet (I wonder if all these closeout chains are connected somehow, they all seem awfuly similar)

This store is in Lancaster, PA

Another former Child World in Ohio..

[Caldor1999]

Originally posted by Zayre88

Originally posted by MBZ321
Another Child World-turned- closeout store..this time an Ollies Bargain Outlet (I wonder if all these closeout chains are connected somehow, they all seem awfuly similar)

This store is in Lancaster, PA

Another former Child World in Ohio..

is that what all there stores looked like? lol  but any way there was a childs world store in Yonkers NY from what  one of my frineds told me but i dont know what happend to it

[d_fife]

the may  8 1992 article said the children's palace in fort wayne on 4320 Coldwater Road closed with the 54 stores stores closing. and that it became best buy.

[ameskmart1]

Lakehurst Mall, IL

[Caldor1999]

lol i know ived sed this alot but dsoen anyone have a pic of there store with the logo and all

[d_fife]

Originally posted by Caldor1999
lol i know ived sed this alot but dsoen anyone have a pic of there store with the logo and all

I believe their stores lettering was in red letters. I do not have a picture with a store with a logo on it. most of their stores were in the shape of a castle.

[Caldor1999]

Originally posted by d_fife

Originally posted by Caldor1999
lol i know ived sed this alot but dsoen anyone have a pic of there store with the logo and all

I believe their stores lettering was in red letters. I do not have a picture with a store with a logo on it. most of their stores were in the shape of a castle.

yea i was kida to young to remember them were there any in westchster county NY ?????

[d_fife]

here is what appears to be a children's palace in erie pa (pennsylvania) outside the millcreek mall.

[d_fife]

Originally posted by d_fife
here is what appears to be a children's palace in erie pa (pennsylvania) outside the millcreek mall.

erie pa

[Caldor1999]

Originally posted by d_fife

Originally posted by d_fife
here is what appears to be a children's palace in erie pa (pennsylvania) outside the millcreek mall.

erie pa

wow its still there after they closed in 1992

[tokensafari]

The one located in Barboursville, WV became a Michaels

[ameskmart1]

Children's Palace logo

[d_fife]

Originally posted by ameskmart1
Children's Palace logo

awsome logo the store had!! never heard of it. how different was children's palace than child world. the only ones i went to wehr ethe ones in salem and nashua nh. i realize children's palace and child world had castles tops.

[d_fife]

the one in sandusky ohio and it i heard it was one of their 20,000 sq.ft. prototype stores that opened in 1990

from http://www.officemaxrealestate.com/ExcessRealEstate/PropertyDetails.aspx?PropertyID=188

[HoJofan206]

Former Evansville Indiana location

[RollingAcres]

Originally posted by Zayre88

Another former Child World in Ohio..

That pic is of the Children's Palace in the Rolling Acres neighborhood of Akron, OH.  That Marc's shut down a few years ago, and that entire strip is like the Bosnia of retail.  I should know.  ;)

rollingacres.org for more info and pics of that mall/area.

[HoJofan206]

So were the "Child's World" and "Children's Palace" essentially one in the same under two different, but simliar names?