Babies 'R' Us Returning Inside Kohl's Stores: FL Impact

FLORIDA — After closing all its stores in a massive bankruptcy, Babies "R" Us may soon make its return to Florida via a new partnership with Kohl's, the company announced Tuesday.

Kohl's announced a deal with WHP Global, the owner of the Babies "R" Us brand on an earnings call this week. Customers will start to see Babies "R" Us inside about 200 Kohl's stores across the country come fall 2024. The company has not yet said which sites will have a Babies "R" Us store added to them.

There are 50 Kohl's locations in Florida, including sites in Clearwater, Sarasota, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Fort Myers, Brandon, New Port Richey, Lakeland, Lutz, Gainesville, Panama City, Hollywood, and Homestead.

“Evolving our assortment and bringing more relevant product to the millions of customers we serve is a core focus as we continue to deliver on Kohl’s broader growth strategy,” said Tom Kingsbury, Kohl’s chief executive officer. “We see significant opportunity in the baby gear category, and partnering with Babies“R” Us is another example of how we are finding new ways to optimize our assortment and further establish Kohl’s as the go-to brand for families.”

The shops inside Kohl's stores will range from 750 to 2,500 square feet and will sell baby gear, including activity, bath, furniture, feeding and safety products. The new shops will introduce additional brands and merchandise to Kohl's already available brands such as Fisher-Price and Graco.

In addition to physical stores, Kohl's will become the exclusive retailer for Babies "R" Us online. Kohl's Rewards members will be able to use and earn rewards on Babies "R" Us purchases in-store and online.

"The new Babies“R” Us experience will introduce more new customers to Kohl’s, including younger customers who will be choosing Kohl’s for the first time," the company announced in a written statement.

Babies "R" Us closed its last store in California after Toys "R" U filed for bankruptcy, citing slumping sales and mounting debt. With its addition to Kohl's stores, Kingsbury said he predicts it will drive growth for the company.

According to a report from Forbes, Kingsbury said it is important to fill the need in underpenetrated categories. With competing retailers, such as Buy Buy Baby, closing down Kinsbury hopes to boost sales by $2 billion over the next few years, Forbes reported.