Six degrees of Jerry Storch

As the nation’s largest toy retailers (broadliners and specialists alike) head into the critical year-end selling season, any edge they can get on one another may be a deciding factor as to who ends up on top.

That’s where Toys“R”Us goes into holiday ‘08 with somewhat of a natural advantage.  Instead of just exclusives and door busters, though, Toys“R”Us has something Target no longer has:  its people. 

That’s because ever since Toys“R”Us chairman and ceo Jerry Storch was recruited to join the toy retailer some three years ago, he brought with him a host of former colleagues from various areas of the Target/Dayton Hudson empire, not least of which are Karen Dodge, chief merchandising officer (from Marshall Fields) and Bob Giampietro, senior vp of trend and innovation (from Target Corp.). 

Other prominent executives from the Target group include Clay Creasey, cfo (from Mervyn’s) and Dan Caspersen, evp of human resources (from Target Corp.).

And the people aren’t the only thing following Storch. Earlier this year, the company signed on designer Amy Coe for an exclusive multi-category line of baby and juvenile products ranging from infant apparel to high-end cribs. Coe broke into the mass market scene in 2002 with an exclusive line of baby bedding, blankets, and nursery home accents at Target.