I still catch myself humming it sometimes: “I don’t want to grow up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us kid…”

Back then the stores were everywhere. My dad would take me in and I would head straight for the Nintendo section. We picked up classic games there. The big red-and-white sign, the wide aisles, the feeling that anything was possible inside those walls. Then one day they were gone. The whole chain shut down. It felt like part of childhood had been boarded up for good.

Twinkies went away for a while too. Both of those American staples disappeared and then, somehow, came back.

Now it’s 2026. We are marking the 250th anniversary of this country. In that light, the return of Toys “R” Us feels like a small, welcome piece of an alternate reality where some of the best parts of growing up in America do not have to vanish forever.

This past Sunday a new Toys “R” Us opened at the Lincoln City Outlets. Geoffrey the Giraffe is already there, standing tall and greeting families just like he used to. The store sits between Scout and Nike, pretty close to Coach. It is not the giant standalone store from the old days, but it carries the same name and the same promise of play.

The brand itself never fully disappeared. After the U.S. stores closed in 2018, WHP Global took ownership of the Toys “R” Us name and has been bringing it back in new forms. Here in America the physical locations are run by Go! Retail Group, a family-owned company that knows how to operate specialty retail in malls and outlets across all fifty states. They are the ones making sure the registers are open and the shelves are stocked in places like Lincoln City.

The global side of the business appears to be doing well. Jamie Uitdenhowen, Executive Vice President of Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us at WHP Global, said it plainly earlier this year:

“Toys ‘R’ Us is growing on a real scale and with real momentum. We are now at 1,664 stores across 35 countries and continue to expand. 2025 was our largest international expansion year ever, with Toys ‘R’ Us opening in six new countries and growing by more than 100 locations worldwide. That is a powerful sign of the demand for this brand.”

For Lincoln City families, the new store is simply convenient. Parents can take their kids to the Outlets, grab a few toys or gifts, and maybe take some pics with Geoffrey without a long drive. It adds one more reason for locals and visitors to spend time at the mall.

The store is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The phone number is (541) 557-1675.

I walked past the spot yesterday and smiled at the giraffe. It is not exactly the same as the old store back when I was a kid, but it is close enough to stir the memory. In a year when the whole country is looking back at 250 years of history, it feels right that a few of the things that shaped our childhoods are still here, still standing, still open for business.

Sometimes the best comebacks are the ones that let us stay kids a little longer.