Goodbye, Geoffrey: Bay Area's last Toys R Us locations to vanish Friday
NEW YORK (AP) — Toys R Us is closing its last U.S. stores by Friday, the end of a chain known to generations of children and parents for its sprawling stores, brightly colored logo and Geoffrey the giraffe mascot.
But many of the children who happily sang the "I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid" jingle grew into busy parents who found shopping online more convenient. The company, which also owned the Babies R Us chain, was hobbled by $5 billion in debt after a leveraged buyout that left it unable to invest and keep up.
As the last of the U.S. stores close, more than 30,000 workers will be looking for work. Toys R Us' troubles have also shaken some big toy makers like Mattel and Hasbro.