Is Maryland’s New Toys R’ Us Worth The Hype? See Photos And Video Here

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SEVERN, Md. — The Toys R’ Us in the Arundel Mills Mall in Severn opened in November 2025, just in time for the holiday season. The announcement quickly took social media by storm.

Toys R’ Us didn’t completely go away all these years and has been staging a comeback since its official bankruptcy filing in 2017. The company has pop-up stores in Macy’s around the country and has added flagship stores in Chicago; Bloomington, Illinois; San Marcos, Texas; and more, with additional stores planned.

The BayNet took a trip to the new flagship store to see if it lived up to our memories (or expectations). To be fair, this store had big shoes to fill for the many now-adults who grew up with these stores in every mall and shopping center.

So here it is: Toys R’ Us in Arundel Mills is a perfectly fine toy store. The best thing about it was that many of the toys there were quality, classic brands that make toys to last more than a couple of months.

The challenge the store faces is that it’s not just competing with other toy retailers. It’s competing with our memories of a golden era for kid consumerism, where toys dominated ad space, outside play was the norm, and we had to save our allowance for a new set of plain Legos.

The new Toys R’ Us had a little of everything, and we enjoyed the fair prices and discounts. They were well-stocked on puzzles and games, and it was fun to see that Nerf guns and outside play toys were still strong sellers. Geoffrey the Giraffe was everywhere, which sparked the nostalgia. But it did lack some of the immersive magic that made old Toys R’ Us stores feel not just like a place to shop, but a place to play.

Here’s some of what you can expect to see:

Plush Section

One of our favorite sections was the plush section – the plushes were exactly the same high-quality we remembered, and there was a huge selection. Whoever comes in for a giant giraffe, a squirrel including an acorn, a capybara, a new soft puppy, or an extremely sturdy chicken plush will be in for a treat. We imagined these animals being in a kid’s life for a long time.

Animal Figures

The same goes for the classic animal figures and dinosaurs by Schleich. Schleich sells its products in other stores, but we loved seeing these quality items laid out in a nice section all to itself with tons of options. I mean, when was the last time you got to pick between a Therizinosaurus and an Ankylosaurus for your dinosaur collection? And they were sturdy.

Puzzles And Games

The store didn’t have a huge selection of toys for older kids, but they made up for it with all the puzzles and games available. This section was probably the biggest one in the store, which makes sense since the tabletop game space has grown in the years since Toys R’ Us was last a major toy retailer.

Legos

Legos are another category that has definitely advanced way beyond what they were when Toys R’ Us was in its heyday. The store rose to meet this new generation of Lego builders. We saw some pretty cool Legos there, and there were options for kids as young as 3. This is nothing new to Lego enthusiasts, but it’s fun to imagine someone advancing through levels of Legos their whole lives.

Funko Pop

These popular figures are everywhere, and they got a pretty big slice of real estate in the Arundel Mills Toys R’ Us. If you’re into collecting Funko Pop figures, you’ll have your pick here. These figures are packed together, so you’ll have fun looking for your next one. They also make a fun gift for all ages.

R/C Toys

The R/C section was pretty cool, with motorized toys ranging from helicopters to bulldozers and more. R/C toys are fun because you often get to play them with other people, and we were excited to see some kids picking toys out with their siblings and parents.

There was plenty to check out in this small store, and it’s a great go-to if you’re looking for Legos or other big brands – Funko Pop, Nerf, R/C were all well represented here. The store may be small, but the items there were trusted, quality brands.

On a final note, the workers at the store were knowledgeable and enthusiastic and seemed ready to move mountains to make sure every kid was happy. While this store lacked some of the old magic, we’re excited about the future of dedicated toy stores. We’re still unabashed optimists about Toys R’ Us expanding and creating spaces where kids can just be kids.

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