Toy Retailer In Swansea Files For Bankruptcy

SWANSEA, MA – Toys R Us, the primo destination for everything from Legos to big wheels, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the company announced Monday. But the nation's largest toy chain does not intend on closing any of its stores, it said in a release announced the filing.

The toy retailer, based in Wayne, NJ, has nearly $5 billion in debt. It has 1,600 stores, which will continue to operate as usual, the company said. Twenty Toys R Us and Babies R Us locations are in Massachusetts, including one at the Swansea Mall. (Subscribe to the Swansea Patch for newsletters and real-time alerts.)

"Today marks the dawn of a new era at Toys"R"Us where we expect that the financial constraints that have held us back will be addressed in a lasting and effective way," said Chairman and CEO Dave Brandon in a release.

The holiday shopping season is set to begin, which is the hottest time of the year for toy stores.

Toys R Us is the latest retailer to be hit hard by the shift to online shopping. Struggling mall staples such as Payless Shoes and Gymboree recently filed for bankruptcy as well.

Here are the other Toys and Babies R Us locations in Massachusetts, according to the company's website:

• Toys, Babies 'R' Us - Worcester Rd., Framingham
• Toys, Babies 'R' Us - Cambridge St., Woburn
• Toys, Babies 'R' Us - Route 1, Dedham
• Babies 'R' Us - Mystic View Rd., Everett
• Toys, Babies 'R' Us - Shops Way, Northborough
• Toys, Babies 'R' Us - Route 1, Saugus
• Toys, Babies 'R' Us - Commercial Rd., Leominster
• Toys 'R' Us - Hartford Rd., Bellingham
• Babies 'R' Us - Grossman Dr., Braintree
• Babies 'R' Us - Andover St., Peabody
• Toys 'R' Us - Rts. 128/114, Peabody
• Babies 'R' Us - Worcester Providence, Millbury
• Babies 'R' Us - South Broadway, Salem
• Toys 'R' Us - Veterans Memorial Way, Salem
• Toys 'R' Us - Campanelli Industrial Dr., Brockton
• Toys 'R' Us - Southbridge St., Auburn
• Toys 'R' Us - South Washington St., Attleboro
• Babies 'R' Us - South Washington St., North Attleboro
• Toys 'R' Us - Premium Outlets Blvd., Wrentham

Photo: Mike Mozart via Creative Commons