Dredged from the depths of the internet is this footage of a Toys 'R' Us store in New York City in 1991, and it's a literal nostalgia trip.
I've got to correct myself here, as it isn't just any Toys 'R' Us store featured in this video, uploaded by btm0815ma on YouTube. This is the Herald Square store, the very first Toys 'R' Us store in the Big Apple, and it was opposite two of its fiercest competitors (Macy's and Kiddie City). As business was booming, the company renovated the existing space from a one-level store into a three-level store, which totalled approximately $2 million in today's money.
These clips were recorded on the day before Thanksgiving, so they mainly consist of families with young children scanning the shelves for gifts for their relatives. I would have fainted if I had seen the sheer scale of the Barbie aisle, overcome with the awe of so many outfits and so many accessories. At one point, a mother and daughter are gazing at a Barbie dollhouse that's almost as tall as the girl is, and debating whether they'll buy it: "$60. That's not bad."
The Lego aisle is a beautiful thing to behold, though. Floor to ceiling, the shelves are stacked with sets from castles, helicopters, jungle hideouts, trucks, and space-themed boxes. "A space station- Max already has a spacemobile, you know," sighs a passerby, while their young child trails after them... but they're eventually lured back by the possibilities of the space-themed set.
What's more, is that the Herald Square store offers figurines of "WACKY ACTION TURTLES" for £4.99 a piece. These are very evidently the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but that probably didn't fit on the placard. Once again, there are more of these statues across the aisles than the eye can comprehend, and I imagine that if they were in pristine condition, they'd go for a hefty sum nowadays. And, in the video game aisle, two tourists appear to pilfer a Game Boy Advance. Whether this footage is the final piece of evidence in a case that has long lain dormant for Interpol remains to be seen.
"Some people will tell you that the Times Square location was THE Toys 'R' Us store, and in many ways, they're right. But this scrappy, energetic, kids' warehouse will always be my personal favorite," said Jonathan Alexandratos, commenting on the footage on YouTube. "I know this paragraph of reminiscence makes me seem like some old fogey in a rocking chair, but I don't care. Target and Walmart will never capture the fun Toys 'R' Us did in the '90s."
Featured Image Credit: btm0815ma on YouTube, Toys 'R’ UsTopics: News