Toys R Us to open holiday pop-up shops in Macy’s

Toys R Us and Macy’s, two major holiday shopping destinations, are teaming up for the Christmas rush by opening pop-up stores from the toy giant within the department store.

The temporary Toys R Us units inside 24 Macy’s stores nationwide will be leased from Oct. 15 through Jan. 15. On average, each toy section will be roughly 1,500 square feet and will include items such as dolls, action figures and puzzles.

The pop-ups will start showing up next week at four California Macy’s: South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Union Square in San Francisco, and stores in Sacramento and Santa Clara.

Other Macy’s with Toys R Us modules will include stores in Manhattan, Philadelphia, Seattle and elsewhere.

The companies said Wednesday that the concept may be expanded past the holidays.

The shop-within-a-store concept isn’t new. J.C. Penney locations house exclusive Liz Claiborne boutiques and Levi’s “denim bars,” while Target launched its Shops concept this year, featuring special products from outside brands. Sears has dedicated Land’s End shops.

But the holiday season has a way of getting retailers amped up and competitive. Already, Neiman Marcus has released its holiday catalog, complete with a $100,000 henhouse inspired by Versailles. Wal-Mart is testing out same-day delivery service. Target is fitting popular toys with shoppable QR codes. Hiring for seasonal associates is ramping up.

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