Toys R Us Windsor Closing: Store Status and Timeline

If you’ve driven past the Roundhouse Centre on Dougall Avenue and noticed the Toys R Us looking quieter than usual, you’re not imagining things. The Windsor location is set to close, part of a nationwide downsizing that has shrunk Toys R Us Canada from more than 100 stores to just 40.

Windsor store closure announced: November 2025 ·
Toys R Us US stores closed: 2018 ·
Toys R Us Canada stores remained open: After 2018 ·
Geoffrey the Giraffe world tour: 2025

Six facts about the Windsor closure at a glance, each drawn from official and local sources.

Is Toys R Us in Windsor still open?

Current status of Windsor store

• The Toys R Us at the Roundhouse Centre (3130 Dougall Ave) is still operating, but closure is imminent. Local news outlet Windsor Star (local newspaper) confirmed in November 2025 that the store would close as part of a nationwide downsizing.
• A sign posted at the entrance informed customers of the upcoming closure, though no specific date has been announced.

Timeline of closure announcement

• November 2025: Signs appear at the Windsor store announcing the closure.
• January 2025: 25 employees were laid off, according to CBC News (Canadian public broadcaster).
• October 2025: Toys R Us Canada files for creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, as reported by Bloomberg (financial news agency).

What the signs say

Photos shared on social media show a plain white sign at the Roundhouse Centre store reading: “This location will be closing. Thank you for your support.” The sign does not mention liquidation discounts or a final date. STLawyers.ca (legal news site, citing Edmonton Journal) reports that at least 12 Toys R Us locations nationwide have been listed for sale, some priced over $15 million.

What this means: The Windsor closure is not an isolated event but part of a national downsizing that has shrunk Toys R Us Canada significantly.

Is Toys R Us permanently closed?

Toys R Us US closure in 2018

• Toys R Us announced the closure of all its US stores in 2018 after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy the year before. The company faced $5 billion in debt at that time.

Canadian stores continued

• The Canadian division was purchased by Fairfax Financial Holdings in 2018 and continued operating roughly 100 stores. In 2025, that number was cut to 40, with the Windsor location among those closing.

Resurrection attempts

• In the US, a smaller chain of Toys R Us stores reopened under new ownership, but the Canadian brand remains the larger surviving operation. The 2025 downsizing suggests that Canada’s market is also contracting.

What this means: Toys R Us is not entirely gone, but its footprint in Canada has been cut by more than half. The Windsor closure reflects a broader strategy to exit underperforming locations.

Why is Toys R Us permanently closed?

Bankruptcy reasons

• Toys R Us filed for Chapter 11 in September 2017, citing $5 billion in debt from a 2005 leveraged buyout. The company struggled to pay suppliers and invest in its stores.

Competition from online retailers

• Amazon and Walmart captured a growing share of the toy market with lower prices and free shipping. Toys R Us failed to build a competitive e‑commerce platform.

Debt load

• The leveraged buyout by Bain Capital, KKR, and Vornado left the company with heavy interest payments. By 2017, that debt had become unsustainable.

The pattern: Toys R Us is a case study of how private-equity debt and e‑commerce disruption can bring down a retail giant. The Windsor store is a local symptom of a national problem.

What is Geoffrey the Giraffe doing now?

Geoffrey’s world tour

• Geoffrey the Giraffe embarked on a world tour in 2025 to celebrate the brand’s 75th anniversary, according to Toys R Us Corporate (official brand site). The mascot visited the Windsor Roundhouse Centre store earlier this year, months before the closure was announced.

Brand revival efforts

• Geoffrey’s tour is part of a broader attempt to keep the Toys R Us name alive, even as stores close. The company has partnered with Macy’s for in‑store toy shops in the US, but no similar revival is planned in Canada.

Geoffrey as mascot history

• Geoffrey debuted as the chain’s mascot in 1960, appearing in television commercials and in‑store promotions. For many Windsor shoppers, he remains the most recognizable symbol of childhood toy shopping.

The catch: Geoffrey’s world tour is a nostalgia play, not a sign that Toys R Us is rebounding. The Windsor closure means fewer kids will see the giraffe on store shelves.

What is the largest toy store in Canada?

Toy Traders in Surrey, BC

• Toy Traders in Surrey, British Columbia, is Canada’s largest toy store, spanning over 40,000 square feet. It offers a massive selection of toys, collectibles, and games, far surpassing any Toys R Us location.

Other large toy stores

• Other notable independent stores include The Toy Shop in various cities and specialty stores like Mastermind Toys, which has locations across Canada.

Alternatives in Windsor

• Windsor residents can shop at independent stores like The Toy Spot on Wyandotte Street or at big‑box retailers such as Walmart and Canadian Tire, which carry toy sections.

The trade‑off: Windsor loses its dedicated toy superstore but gains a market gap that local independent stores can fill – at the cost of smaller selection and higher prices.

For Windsor families, the Toys R Us closure removes a cherished shopping destination and a tangible link to childhood memories. The alternative is a mix of online shopping and smaller local stores – a shift that may save money but loses the magic of turning down an aisle full of toys. The choice for the city is clear: support the remaining independent toy shops, or let big-box toys become a memory altogether.