Mount Vernon, Ohio / Columbus, Ohio Photographer || Personal: Goodbye Geoffrey
"I don't want to grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid. They got a million toys at Toys R Us that I can play with!"
But we did grow up. Years passed, then, we brought our children to Toys R Us to become Toys R Us kids themselves. Black Friday spent here fighting crowds for the discounts, where Lacie spent long deliberations choosing the perfect toy for her friend's birthday. I, myself, loved entering the store as a kid and wondering exactly which toy my mom was going to allow me to walk out of the store with. I REALLY didn't care because I was there. In Toys R Us. I was in KID HEAVEN, pacing aisles and aisles of toys I could only dream of.
Today, we as a family, said goodbye to a childhood staple. I can't say I didn't get choked up at one point. I watched my kid's eyes light up at each toy their little eyes graced and my heart sank. Target, Walmart, Meijer.... they just aren't the same. The aesthetic of Toys R Us was a store catered to child's play. The colors, that giraffe, the birthday club... it all built into the store dedicated to JUST toys.
My emotions had my kid's make out like bandits. Just like his sister, Leo got his first bike from Toys R Us. The kids chose a toy and a book. They played for an hour and I thought about how this was our very last time. I'll never watch my grandchildren experience this but I was happy to dedicate time to my children to experience their favorite store one last time. I have no idea if Lacie will remember this day. I know Leo won't. Although Jon was embarrassed that I was hauling my huge camera around the store and snapping away, I know that I have these for them. The crappy store lighting, the casual outfits, dirty faces from car snacks and semi-bed head that comes with a Saturday morning.... It's all captured here.
Today, we retired as Toys R Us kids. All four of us. What will my children be now? Amazon kids? Target kids? It will never be the same. I'm just thankful we had one last time to enjoy a store that fueled childhood memories.
