Toys“R”Us Canada Files for Creditor Protection

(And Millennials Everywhere Feel Personally Attacked)

If your childhood involved circling toys in a paper catalogue like it was a legally binding contract, this one hurts a little extra.

Toys R Us Canada has officially filed for creditor protection, confirming what many Canadians have quietly feared every time another location went dark. The toy giant now operates just 22 stores nationwide, after shuttering 53 locations over the past two years. Yes, fifty-three. That’s not a “rough patch” — that’s a full-on clearance aisle of bad news.

Locally, the Park Place Toys“R” Us has closed, joining a growing list of former big-box dreams now living only in our memories… and Google Street View.

According to court filings, the company is facing lawsuits from unpaid suppliers and landlords, prompting it to seek protection through an Ontario court while it figures out what comes next. Translation: Toys“R” Us Canada has hit the pause button on its bills while it tries to survive, restructure, or potentially be sold off entirely.

A Canadian Childhood Staple (RIP-ish)

For decades, Toys“R” Us wasn’t just a store — it was an event. Founded in Canada in the 1980s, the chain quickly became a rite of passage for kids and parents alike. Birthday trips. Holiday wish lists. Wandering aisles so big they felt like airports. Geoffrey the Giraffe smiled down at you while your parents quietly whispered, “No, that’s too expensive.”

This was where:

• You learned disappointment builds character
• Bikes were test-ridden indoors
• And adults learned LEGO prices the hard way

It was magical. Overstimulating. Loud. And absolutely elite.

Even Nostalgia Rebrands Couldn’t Save It

In a last-ditch effort to spark foot traffic, some locations introduced HMV-branded sections, hoping nostalgia would save nostalgia. It did not. Turns out vinyl and Funko Pops can’t single-handedly rescue a retail empire built on giant footprints and shrinking margins.

RELATED: HMV is Back… But in a Totally Unexpected Place!

Now, Toys“R” Us Canada says all options are on the table, including:

• Liquidating store inventory
• Selling furniture and equipment
• Running a sales process for the remaining locations
• Or selling the entire business to new owners

Basically: everything except “business as usual.”

Important (and Slightly Panic-Inducing) Details

If you’re holding onto a gift card like it’s emotional currency, listen closely:

• You have 14 days to use it
• The online store is already gone
• When they say “use it now,” they mean now-now

The End of an Era (Again)

This isn’t the first time Toys“R” Us has stumbled, and it may not be the last. But for Canadians, this latest chapter feels heavier. Another familiar place is disappearing. Another childhood landmark replaced by “For Lease” signs and vague sadness.

We were kids once. We didn’t want socks.
We wanted toys.
And we wanted them from Toys“R” Us.

Excuse us while we go into an emotional spiral in the Hot Wheels aisle of our memories. 🧸🇨🇦