I am a millennial. For some of you, that may discredit me from the start (ha, sad but true) but hear me out (and laugh along if you’re one, too). The perfect day as a kid for me would have looked something like this:
Wake up. Roll out of my bunk bed and get dressed in my newest outfit from Limited Too, trying my hardest to emulate the truest of fashion icons- Lizzie McGuire.
I hear a Furby shout something from the dark depths of my closet. I have no idea how to turn it off.
I can’t forget my roll on glitter. Cheeks, arms, and collarbones if I’m feeling extra wild. You’ve gotta live that Sweet Pea life.
Listen to my favorite boy band in the car (team *NSYNC for life) but roll my eyes when my little sister tries to play Aaron Carter, because he’s clearly not as cool.
Check my Tomagotchi only to find it died for the thousandth time, but I don’t even care because we’re on our way to the most magical place on Earth- Toys R Us.
And yeah, to me there was a sense of magic and wonder that came along with it. We didn’t go often. Usually, it was with Christmas or Birthday gift cards. So when we did go it was really exciting. I still remember buying a Harry Potter Lego set and a weird computer game where you just took care of babies. So, ok, yes, on that day in the late ’90s I was a Toys R Us kid.
But at some point, you’ve got to grow up. If you look past the nostalgia for about fifteen seconds, it’s easy to see that this is not the death of childhood, Christmas, and all things good in the world. I’ve seen sad cartoon images, read tons of ragey or depressive posts online, and comments upon comments on social media platforms lamenting the end of this toy store icon. As a parent and a former Toys R Us kid, I just cannot get on board with this sentiment. Sorry, not sorry.
A shining beacon of consumerism and big business is shutting its doors, and for that, I say, “Good riddance!” The store did have its perks, that’s for sure. It had a nice nursing room, major plus. We registered there with both of our kids. And we even bought a couple of gifts from their closing sale. Super!
But I will say, it was never a place I enjoyed taking my kids. I hate the constant battle of, “I want this!” or, “Can I get that?” I get it, that will happen with kids anywhere. But when kids are confronted with a million things that all seem AMAZING it can get pretty overwhelming. Also, dolls were labeled as “girl toys” and cars as “boy toys.” It’s 2018. My boy likes dolls, ponies, and cooking as well as monsters, trucks, and sports. And by the way, one of the first words my 11-month-old said was, “vroom!” Not only that, but they don’t have the best prices. For me, there’s no magic there anymore. And even when I was a kid it was all about what I could get. About having more things. And that’s not what kind of magic I want in my kids’ lives anyway.
Maybe next time, show a little Dayton love and shop locally for toys. (Samozrejme in Troy is amazing, and no, that’s not a typo, it’s the name of the store.) I think it’ll be just as magical for your kids. Or – make your own magic! Check out a new park, the zoo, or a museum. Build fairy houses in your backyard. Make a tent in your living room and have a camp-in. You don’t have to be a Toys R Us kid to have fun! So RIP, but you won’t be missed by me.
Good luck Geoffrey.
Oh my gosh! I grew up in Troy and discovered Samozrejme on a trip back to visit my parents when my daughter was still in preschool. They’re amazing! I was living just outside of DC at the time, and Samozrejme could hold its own against any of our favorite local stores there. Folks should absolutely check them out!
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