Jun. 19, 2026 "Owner of beleaguered Toys 'R' Us Canada floats rebrand in court files": Today I found this article by Tara Deschamps on CBC:
The owner of Toys "R" Us Canada is trying to buy some of the retailer's assets
so it can keep the chain going
or rebrand the beleaguered business
that has been in creditor protection since February.
A lawyer representing a numbered company that owns the retailer has filed a letter in court saying his client has a licence to use the Toys "R" Us name until Jan. 25, 2027.
After that date, the letter says the numbered company, which operates as Putman Investments,
hopes to extend that licence
or rebrand the business.
The letter does not say what the chain could be rebranded to.
Putman Investments also runs
Northern Reflections,
HMV,
Sunrise Records,
Ricki's
and Cleo.
The letter offers the first insights the public has gotten into what Toys "R" Us Canada's owner has planned for the crumbling chain that has
shrunk from 53 to 15 stores
within about two years.
Putman Investments owner Doug Putman has never commented publicly on Toys "R" Us Canada's collapse and the chain
and his lawyers have not responded to questions from The Canadian Press about his plans for the company's assets.
As part of the company's plans, the letter says Putman Investments has struck an agreement to continue operating its store at Sherway Gardens, a mall in Toronto's west end.
The location would bolster a deal it reached to buy
10 Toys "R" Us Canada store leases,
the brand's inventory,
equipment
and bank accounts.
The deal still needs court approval,
which the company is expected to seek Monday.
At that hearing, a judge will also consider whether
American toy brand manager Ad Populum will be able to buy the rights to about
150 Toys "R" Us Canada
and Babies "R" Us Canada trademarks.
Toys "R" Us Canada
and its U.S. counterpart
are owned and operated separately,
though WHP Global has the rights to Toys "R" Us
and licenses them to U.S. and other regional operators like department stores Macy's and Kohl's.
Putman Investments bought Toys "R" Us Canada from Fairfax Financial in 2021
with plans to revamp the business.
Instead, it wound up so in debt
it had to turn to the court to keep creditors at bay.
It owes at least $120 million to its vendors
and "substantial" amounts to many landlords,
who sued the company in the last few years in hopes of recouping owed amounts.
To help try to pay them back,
Toys "R" Us Canada put its
trademarks,
inventory,
leases
and equipment
up for sale
earlier this year.
The 10 locations Putman Investments wants to buy as part of that process are in
Ontario,
Alberta
and Winnipeg.
Fox Group Jumbo Canada,
an Israeli company bringing Jumbo discount stores to the country,
wants the Toys "R" Us store lease at Vaughan Mills, a mall just north of Toronto.
A court is expected to decide whether to approve that sale also on Monday.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/toys-r-us-owner-rebranding-9.7242041
Jun. 22, 2026 "Toys 'R' Us Canada gets court approval to split business among 3 buyers": Today I found this article by Tara Deschamps on CBC:
An Ontario court is giving Toys "R" Us Canada permission to
split up and sell the business to three buyers,
including its current owner,
who wants to keep operating the chain
or rebrand it.
Judge Jane Dietrich said she will sign paperwork Monday approving the three deals,
which will help the beleaguered retailer pay down some of the millions of dollars in debt it accumulated before filing for creditor protection in February.
The first deal will sell the rights to the Toys "R" Us Canada and Babies "R" Us Canada names and logos,
along with 150 of their trademarks to Ad Populum.
U.S.-based Ad Populum and its affiliates own retailer
Party City and manage the companies behind the
Chia Pet brand
and Graceland, the Elvis Presley attraction in Tennessee.
The trademarks include the rights to the
Geoffrey the giraffe mascot,
the Toys "R" Us Canada jingle
and phrases like "wish book,"
"gotta get it deals"
and "play more ... spend less."
The second transaction will transfer
10 store leases,
the brand's inventory,
equipment,
logistics contracts
and bank accounts and balances
to a numbered company run by current Toys "R" Us Canada owner Doug Putman.
Lawyers representing Putman have said in court documents that he has a license to use the Toys "R" Us name until Jan. 25, 2027, and hopes to extend that agreement or rebrand the business.
The final deal will sell the lease for a Toys "R" Us Canada store at Vaughan Mills, a mall just north of Toronto, to Fox Group Jumbo Canada, an Israeli retailer moving its discount home-goods stores to Canada.
Toys "R" Us Canada is already preparing to vacate the location, with signs on the store windows alerting customers to the impending closure.
The toy retailer has not disclosed the value of any of the transactions, but it owes at least $120 million to its vendors and "substantial" amounts to landlords.
Before filing for creditor protection, the retailer closed 53 stores across Canada within two years.
It has since shuttered more locations and is now down to 15 stores and 260 employees.
It remains unclear what form Toys "R" Us Canada will take in the future.
Ad Populum has not said whether it intends to use the trademarks to operate stores or license the Toys "R" Us name to other companies that want to run a retailer or manufacture merchandise.
He previously launched a chain of home-goods stores called
Rooms + Spaces
and took over T. Kettle's tea shops.
Both brands have closed all their stores since Putman took ownership.
He has also been an executive at Everest Toys, which was founded by his father and forced into receivership last year by TD Bank, which is owed $25 million, according to court documents.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/toysrus-court-approval-sale-9.7244928
My week:
Sun. Jun. 28, 2026:
Lillian L, Halifax, Nova Scotia, would like to know:
How will you celebrate Canada Day?
Not celebrating
67.27% (2004)
City events / festivals
15.78% (470)
Fireworks
10.20% (304)
Traveling
3.46% (103)
Camping
3.29% (98)
My opinion: Not celebrating.
Sun. Jun. 28, 2026:
Maxime L, Longueuil, Québec, would like to know:
Are you taking a vacation this summer?
Yes
52.78% (1746)
No
47.22% (1562)
My opinion: No. I will still have fun and relax in Edmonton.
Sat. Jul. 4, 2026:
Niamh D, Sidney, British Columbia, would like to know:
Have you ever lived somewhere other than Canada?
No
79.09% (2648)
Yes
20.91% (700)
My opinion: No.
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