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blackshire 03-15-2018 07:45 PM

Toys"R"Us rocket sales!
 
Hello All,

I heard on the national radio news today that Toys"R"Us is going out of business (this possibility had been reported a few days ago; besides competition from online vendors, a large debt load was dragging them down). Toys"R"Us sells model rocket supplies, so deep-discount sales of their wares--including rocket kits, motors, and launch sets--should be forthcoming quite soon. (I'm sorry to see them go, as I bought a lot of motors--as well as kits--from them for attractive prices, when I lived in Miami [their only Alaskan store is down in Anchorage].)

A Fish Named Wallyum 03-15-2018 09:17 PM

They were hit and miss with regard to rockets. I checked a couple of weeks ago and found nothing in either of the two stores near me. YMMV.

blackshire 03-15-2018 09:33 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by A Fish Named Wallyum
They were hit and miss with regard to rockets. I checked a couple of weeks ago and found nothing in either of the two stores near me. YMMV.
I've heard that about them. Our Wal-Mart used to carry Estes rockets, but even when they did, their availability was sporadic. The Miami Toys"R"Us store that I bought from apparently considered rockets a significant product line, as they were always well-stocked with kits, sets, and motors.

A Fish Named Wallyum 03-15-2018 11:13 PM

Our Wal-Mart and Meijer stores both carry something rocket related every few years. The gaps seem to stretch between the times that they actually have them. It's been a while.

tbzep 03-16-2018 09:36 AM

I scored a big load of motors (pink packaging) years ago when an old mall TRU was going out of business. I only saw rocketry products in a couple of TRU stores after that.

ghrocketman 03-16-2018 09:37 AM

Sad to hear of their demise.
The first two rocket kits I ever got were from Toys-R-Us in 1977; A Citation Quasar and a Citation Patriot. My Dad and I picked those out together and the Quasar flew the very same day. We were hooked.
Toys-R-Us used to have a very good Hobby section, at least in the one closest to my hometown. They carried almost the entire Estes line and all the Engines. They had an enormous selection of plastic model kits, and for finishing they carried the entire Testor's and Pactra lines of supplies.
That said, we did not go there often as we had two local brick-and-mortar dedicated hobby shops within 5 miles of home, and two more within 15 miles.
Sadly the hobby section of Toys-R-Us near us went into the toilet at least 25 years ago. At least 20 years ago it shrank down to about nothing.

blackshire 03-16-2018 09:52 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
Sad to hear of their demise.
The first two rocket kits I ever got were from Toys-R-Us in 1977; A Citation Quasar and a Citation Patriot. My Dad and I picked those out together and the Quasar flew the very same day. We were hooked.
Toys-R-Us used to have a very good Hobby section, at least in the one closest to my hometown. They carried almost the entire Estes line and all the Engines. They had an enormous selection of plastic model kits, and for finishing they carried the entire Testor's and Pactra lines of supplies.
That said, we did not go there often as we had two local brick-and-mortar dedicated hobby shops within 5 miles of home, and two more within 15 miles.
Sadly the hobby section of Toys-R-Us near us went into the toilet at least 25 years ago. At least 20 years ago it shrank down to about nothing.
That's interesting. I didn't know they existed back then (I hadn't heard about them until years later, via their TV ads). In south Florida, Lionel Playworld (also called Kiddie City, in other regions of the country--they were also heavily into plastic kits and model rockets, including finishing supplies) was the big toy "box store," but their chain couldn't compete with the larger Toys"R"Us chain.

Royatl 03-16-2018 05:46 PM

In the Atlanta area, at least, TrU hasn't sold rockets in at least a decade. 20 years ago I used to buy my Blast-Off flight packs from them. They were generally 35% off retail everyday.

ghrocketman 03-16-2018 06:16 PM

Every shopping mall near me during through my teens had a "Circus World" toy store. They carried lots of Estes kits. I remember when they had a close out on a bunch of Mars Landers. They had a full end-cap of them, and it was at least 5 years after the kit was discontinued. They were $5 each. I bought 4 but should have bought em all.

Joe Shockcord 03-16-2018 08:43 PM

Toy R Us will live on in The Blues Brothers.


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