Amazon was a major contributor to the demise of Toys ‘R’ Us. Now it may take over some of the soon-to-be-abandoned storefronts.
Bloomberg reports the online retail giant is looking at the possibility of acquiring some Toys ‘R’ Us locations as it expands its brick-and-mortar footprint across the country. The stores would reportedly be used to showcase its Echo line of devices.
The interest comes as Amazon has spent a good part of the last year establishing a physical retail presence. The company’s acquisition of Whole Foods last year added 450 locations and it’s also opening a small line of bookstores and expanding its line of cashless convenience stores.
It is, of course, possible that talks could fall through. In 2015, Bloomberg notes, Amazon considered buying some closed down Radio Shack locations, but ultimately opted against doing so.
Amazon’s not the only company potentially sniffing around Toys ‘R’ Us property, though. The company that bought KB Toys, which closed several years ago, is reportedly in talks to open pop-up locations in malls this holiday season.