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KB Toys plots comeback in wake of Toys ‘R’ Us demise

3/21/2018
Nearly 10 years after it went out of business, a former rival of Toys “R” Us may return to the scene in the wake of the toy giant’s plan to liquidate its U.S. operations.

Strategic Marks, a company that specializes in reviving defunct brands, is looking to revive the KB Toys name. The firm, which bought the KB name about a year ago, plans to open some 1,000 KB Toys pop-up stores for Black Friday and the holiday shopping season, CNN Money reported, and has been in talks with pop-up operators such as Spencer Spirit Holdings.

Ellia Kassoff, president of Strategic Marks, announced his plans on March 16 in a LinkedIn post with the headline "WE'RE GOING TO SAVE THE TOY INDUSTRY!" In the post, Kassoff wrote that he has been in touch with toy manufacturers.

“We hope to help the industry and at the same time resurrect the amazing KB Toys name,!” Kassoff stated.”

Founded in 1922, KB Toys was once one of the nation’s largest toy retailers. It filed for bankruptcy protection for the first time in 2004. It went bankrupt a second time in 2008, and went on to close down its operations.
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