The Final Goodbye(s) to Toys R Us- in Erie

There is no question that the demise of the last toy store of its kind hit many folks hard. It is sad to think that there is currently no chain toy store to fill the gap. Sure, we have independent toy stores and toy departments, but it isn't the same. There truly is nothing that can compare to the pure joy that children got from seeing aisles and aisles of toys under one roof. Sadly this has all to come an end - for the moment at least. While KB Toys is planning to make a comeback, it remains to be seen how it will play out and if it even will work out.

I've been out over the past few months going to various Toys R Us and Bon-Ton stores in the region to get one last look before they are gone forever. The final Toys R Us that stopped at was the location in Erie, one of my two childhood Toys R Us stores. It truly was a bittersweet experience, yet also a very fitting way to say goodbye. 

As you will see in the pictures below, this Toys R Us location set up a wall of memories for customers to put up their experiences. Fellow Flickr user justinthedog, Youtuber WallieB26, and of course myself all left notes to say goodbye. Sadly, I was unable to find Justin's among the thousands of notes left. This understandably felt like the best way for me to end my Toys R Us journey. 

I don't think 'Get Well Soon' will work here....

Electronics mostly emptied out

Toys R Us bags

The way to leave your message

My goodbye note. I signed it using my Flickr username.

As mentioned, hopefully KB can make a successful comeback. Only time will tell how the toy industry will adjust.

Bluelight News Flash: Two Stores Are Better Then One

Just when you're ready to give up hope for Sears Holdings, especially after the recent list of store closures, they throw a curve-ball and actually do something smart. They team up with their by putting their brands together under the same roof. I've said this many times before, but what took them so long to realize this? I mean seriously, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that some parts of both Kmart and Sears are profitable while other areas aren't. But as we all well know too well, Eddie Lambert is not into running the store; rather he is in it for the real estate. So this is actually a somewhat surprising move for him to combine the two sister chains together. 

The biggest concern I have is that they have brought Sears stuff into Kmart stores before right after the merger and for some reason a lot of that selection fizzled out at Kmart stores. I assume this announcement means a more proper appliance department for Kmart stores rather then the little basic model setup they have now. 

In all honesty, I feel they'd better off keeping Kmart while ditching Sears entirely. Unlike Sears, Kmart actually has shed off so many stores at this point that they are pretty much left with ones that are making money or are hanging on because of being corporate or Seritage owned. The most recent closing list of stores kind of confirms this, since only 15 of 68 stores listed were Kmart locations.  Though admittedly, this trend would need to continue to fairly make this assumption. 

I hope it works well for them unlike the failed Sears Essentials. 

This news comes from this article:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/19/a-kmart-store-opens-inside-a-sears-in-brooklyn-more-integration-ahead.html

Salmon Run Mall

Serving the Watertown area as a regional mall, the Salmon Run Mall opened its doors in 1986 with an impressive five anchors and a couple of junior anchors. Sears, JCPenney, Ames, Chappels and another chain which I'm not sure what it was served as the main anchors. I'm not certain what Burlington was prior, but it definitely was not originally a Burlington store since auto center bays are noticeable. Chappels would convert into a Bon-Ton when they took over Chappels up until April 2018. Ames would be converted into Gander Mountain in 2004 and is currently now divided between Gander Outdoors and a Christmas Tree Shops and That! store. Best Buy and Dick's Sporting Goods serve as junior anchors. 

I visited the mall in August 2016.

The interior tour will start and end in the Sears wing.