As toys fade away in the age of the technology, being replaced with advancing devices and video games, major toy company Toys R Us seems to have followed suit and said its final farewell to customers. Just one year after the 60th anniversary, the critically endangered "Geoffrey the Giraffe" has closed his final door, rendering the "R Us" chain extinct.
Just before the unpredictable economic recession 10 years ago, business decisions were made by the higher-ups at Toys R Us Inc. including overspending that the company was unable to recover from.
This comes as a particularly emotional ending for me as my early life revolved around Toys R Us.
The joy of my childhood was whenever I did something good and saved up enough money to take a trip to my favorite place. I'd hop into the car next to Grandpa with the utmost excitement in my eyes. If there was ever a time when the closest location didn't have what I wanted, Grandpa had the patience to drive me to other towns on my little treasure hunt. I don't think I can thank him enough for all of the small things he's done for me.
Fast forward to my senior year of high school (shout out to the class of 2016), when I had become the equivalent of a stranger to the big giraffe. Seeking employment, I turned my outstretched hands toward my former home. The summer after I graduated, I spent more time in the store than I had collectively in 18 years. It was a full circle moment not only because of my love for the store but also because it was my mother's first job when she was around my age.
In the background, however, the company was struggling to reach financial stability. In the fall just before my employment, the biggest Toys R Us location in New York City shut down. I should have known then that the company would not last long.
Toy sales have steadily decreased with the advancement of video games and handheld devices, a fact that shows in the quality of new toy-lines. Not much effort goes into their manufacturing and advertising anymore. All of the good stuff can be found on the internet, so even without the financial issue of the recession, it seems that Geoffrey was on his way out the door.
Fortunately, the legacy will continue where shopping has become most prevalent, online. But my question is, where will future generations get that same magical feeling of driving out just to find the right toy they'd been looking for?
