Toys R Us x b8ta

An Experiential Retail Joint Venture

In 2017 Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy protection, shuttering its fleet of iconic stores.

In 2019 it was resurrected and reimagined as an experiential retail showroom with an updated business model and powerful shopping analytics.

All About Play

For decades the Toys R Us experience was akin to visiting a warehouse. Toys were boxed and stacked from floor to ceiling. Cold hard finishes and bright lights. A poor approach to merchandising more suited to hardware and home goods.

At b8ta, the core of our retail philosophy is that customers should be empowered to play and experience products unboxed. Staff can provide the best advice, with expert guidance from manufacturers.

Manufacturers and partners are blessed with engagement data to understand how their products are resonating with customers - in real time.

Project Details

In January 2019 I met with the new executives of the joint venture to begin planning of the first two flagship locations. The brief was simple: Two new experiential concepts, flagship scale, to open by the holiday shopping season, in just 10 months.

With this extremely tight schedule we moved quickly to identify sites and partners. Houston Galleria and Garden State Plaza both had great opportunities and a willingness to support our timeline. After a 30 day RFP process, we selected Callison to lead design and architecture, and partnered with a reliable construction partner; Alta Construction.

  • 6500sf

  • Buildout Costs $225/sf

  • Callison RTKL: Design and AOR

  • Alta Construction: General Contractor

  • Fixtures and Standards: Bearwood Fixtures

  • Specialty Fabrications: Dillon Fixtures

  • Technology: MINT Retail, RetailNext

Features

  • Shop in Shops

  • Theatre

  • Treehouse Playground

  • “Endless Aisle” Touchscreen Ordering by Target

  • Branded Activity Capsules