The world was shocked when iconic retailer Toys “R” Us crumbled into bankruptcy protection in September 2017. Amidst the chaos, parent company TRU shuttered more than 800 stores in the US and UK, and eliminated 30,000-plus jobs worldwide within a year.

TRU initially held onto brand assets in hopes of a revival, but it wasn’t until its acquisition in 2021 by holding company WHP Global that Toys “R” Us began to stage a resurgence. And unexpectedly, it was a department store that helped bring the brand back to life.

Last June, WHP made a deal with American retailer Macy’s to incorporate the Toys “R” Us brand in more than 400 of its US locations in time for the holiday season. These in-store shops range from 1,000 to 10,000 square feet, with flagship locations in San Francisco, New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami.

“I love a good comeback story,” says TRU’s global chief marketing officer, Kim Miller. “Our connection with the consumer was always very strong, and nobody took over the white space. There was a need for us to return and bring this iconic store into a new era.”

Today, Toys “R” Us operates more than 1,400 stores in 30-plus countries, including 500 that opened in 2022. And headlining the expansion charge is none other than Geoffrey the Giraffe, the retail brand’s mascot for more than 50 years. Miller says Geoffrey has enough resonance with consumers to carry the retailer’s resurgence from bricks and mortar into experiential events and even TV.

The experiential plans kick off in June with Geoffrey’s Tour Across America, which will see a Geoffrey Mobile tour bus travel to flagship Macy’s locations to deliver interactive experiences, giveaways and exclusive products. Later in the year, Geoffrey’s birthday celebrations will feature nine days of sales and in-store events before the holiday season. Throughout the year, all US Toys “R” Us locations will install benches where kids can take pictures with the character, along with play tables for trying out the hottest toys of the year.

Tying it all together is a new content arm called Toys “R” Us Studios, which Miller also heads up. This division will use Geoffrey to anchor a content lineup that has already started rolling out on YouTube.

“We’re hoping to create an atmosphere where every human—whether they’re a kid or an adult—walks in and has this ‘wow’ moment where they can enjoy the feeling of play.”

This story originally appeared in Kidscreen‘s June/July 2023 magazine issue.