Toys 'R' Us Founder Charles Lazarus Has Died at 94

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: The Wall Street Journal.

Toys R Us Founder Charles Lazarus Has Died at 94

He ran the business during some of its best years and rescued it from bankruptcy in the 1970s

By Paul Ziobro

[e-mail]
https://twitter.com/pziobro

Updated March 22, 2018 4:02 p.m. ET

Charles Lazarus had a simple if powerful idea: build a supermarket for toys. After returning from World War II, he opened a store that he would build into a national chain called Toys R Us Inc. with hundreds of cavernous locations stocked with Barbies and Hot Wheels.

Mr. Lazarus died on Thursday in New York at the age of 94, according to a family friend. He ran the business during some of its best years and rescued it after a stint in bankruptcy in the 1970s. He retired as its chief executive in 1994 as one of Americas highest paid executives, but had to watch Toys R Us unravel in the past year.

The big-box chain is preparing to close all its U.S. locations after filing for bankruptcy last year, weighed down by debt and competition from online rivals. It was taken private in a leveraged buyout in 2005.

There have been many sad moments for Toys R Us in recent weeks, and none more heartbreaking than todays news about the passing of our beloved founder, the company said on Thursday.
....

Write to Paul Ziobro at [e-mail]

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/toys-r-us-founder-charles-lazarus-has-died-at-94-1521746378?mod=e2tw

---

Charles Lazarus, founder of Toys R Us, had a simple, powerful idea: build a supermarket for toys

Link to tweet

[hlthe2b]

1. something sort of poetic about this, though... completed the cycle

I know a lot of people have nostalgic feelings about Toys R Us, but I always though it destroyed the smaller mom & pop toy stores, much like the mega Barnes & Nobles (and Amazon) have destroyed the local book stores.

Still, I'll toast to Mr. Lazarus' long success and productive life.

[The Mouth]

4. Good riddance to the stores

They killed the two 'mom and pop' toy stores in this area when they came in.

never been a big store that did a damn bit of good.

[rzemanfl]

2. Bookmarking to check back in four days. n/t

[Ron Obvious]

6. OK, that took me a few seconds....

[rzemanfl]

8. Good for you. n/t

[mahatmakanejeeves]

7. I see what you did there.

[rzemanfl]

9. Indeed. n/t

[Initech]

3. This needs the sad Toys R Us song:

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. unfortunate last name...

or...maybe....not.
Watch this space...