WHP Global is following a familiar playbook for its relaunch of Babies ‘R’ Us. After opening the brand’s first brick-and-mortar location since its 2018 bankruptcy in July 2023, the company has now announced plans to bring Babies ‘R’ Us shop-in-shops to 200 Kohl’s locations this year.
After filing for bankruptcy and shuttering all its U.S. stores, Babies ‘R’ Us and its sister brand Toys ‘R’ Us passed through a number of hands before being acquired by WHP Global in March 2021. Later that year, WHP opened a Toys ‘R’ Us flagship at the American Dream mall in New Jersey (where the new Babies ‘R’ Us store also is located) and launched a store-in-store partnership with Macy’s that has since expanded to all of that chain’s U.S. locations.
WHP is clearly mapping a similar path for the reemergence of Babies ‘R’ Us. The first Babies ‘R’ Us shops will open in Kohl’s this August, with plans to roll out to approximately 200 stores by fall 2024. The shop-in-shops will range in size from 750 to 2,500 square feet of dedicated space and feature baby gear, activity, bath, furniture, feeding and safety products.
Kohl’s hopes that that the Babies ‘R’ Us offering will introduce new customers, especially younger ones, to its brand, much as its shop-in-shops with Sephora have done. The Babies ‘R’ Us assortment will complement Kohl’s existing selection of baby apparel, which will be adjacent to the new offerings to create a comprehensive baby shop for customers.
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“Evolving our assortment and bringing more relevant product to the millions of customers we serve is a core focus as we continue to deliver on Kohl’s broader growth strategy,” said Tom Kingsbury, CEO of Kohl’s in a statement. “We see significant opportunity in the baby gear category, and partnering with Babies ‘R’ Us is another example of how we are finding new ways to optimize our assortment and further establish Kohl’s as the go-to brand for families.”
Customers also will be able to shop an expanded assortment of baby products on Kohls.com and use the new Babies ‘R’ Us at Kohl’s registry to build and share gift lists. Kohl’s Rewards members will earn rewards on Babies ‘R’ Us purchases both in-store and online, as well as earning and redeeming Kohl’s Cash on all merchandise during designated Kohl’s Cash events throughout the year.
