The sales haven't started yet, but Modesto shoppers already lining up at Toys R Us
The sales haven't started yet at Modesto's Toys R Us, but shoppers already are leaving with full carts.
Last week Toys R Us, which also owns Babies R Us, announced it would shut or sell all of its remaining 735 stores nationwide. But the liquidation sale, which had been expected to begin Thursday, was postponed by the company at least one day. Sales could now start Friday, though no final decision has been announced yet.
At the Modesto Toys R Us readers reported lines outside the store when it opened Thursday morning. The parking lots for both Toys R Us and Babies R Us were bustling and inside cashiers were kept busy. The Toys R Us has been a shopping mainstay in the region since it opened on Sisk Road in 1985. Babies R Us, which sits a mile north on Sisk Road, has been open since 2000.
Signs posted inside both local stores asked shoppers for their patience and understanding. At Modesto's Toys R Us store closing information was posted just inside the doors. It confirmed that all of the Toys R Us and Babies R Us locations would be closing and the liquidation sale had not started yet. The sign said once they did begin sales were expected to run through the end of June to middle of July.
A plaintive note from the store's workers was also posted which read: "A friendly reminder: The associates and managers are not responsible for the pricing, nor the rules set out for us to follow. Remember the associates and managers are human beings who are working long hours and extra hard with less people and they will be losing their jobs all while smiling and telling you to have a great day. Thank you for your understanding and we will miss you all."
All of the some 31,000 employees of Toys R Us and Babies R Us are expected to lose their jobs across the country when the retail giant closes. The workers are expected to receive 60 days pay, which is required under federal law, but no other severance packages. Meanwhile, 17 top company executives were approved for $14 million in incentive bonus payouts by a bankruptcy judge last December.
At Babies R Us, a large sign was posted inside the entrance which said the liquidation sale had been "postponed until further notice." A smaller printed out note taped underneath said, "We understand there may have been reports of our liquidation sale starting today. We apologize for any confusion the media may have conveyed on our liquidation start date, however, we do not have confirmation as to when the liquidation sale will begin. Please check back with us for further information and updates."
In the midst of the company's closure news, its founder Charles Lazarus died Thursday at age 94. He opened the first Toys R Us in 1957, though its origins can be traced back to the furniture company he started in 1948. He eventually stepped down as its chief executive officer in 1994, and left the company altogether four years later. He passed away a week after the announcement of the chain's demise.
This story was originally published March 22, 2018 at 3:39 PM with the headline "The sales haven't started yet, but Modesto shoppers already lining up at Toys R Us."