Toys R Us announces October in-store specials celebrating grand reopening

Toys R Us says it is officially returning to the retail world this month for kids of all ages to once again experience the fun of toy shopping in person.

The iconic toy store went bankrupt and sold all its stores in 2018 but announced earlier this year that it would be teaming up with Macy’s to bring a store-within-a-store experience.

And now, in October, that time has come.

According to store representatives, Toys R Us will be operating within every Macy’s store nationwide starting in mid-October, with in-store special events for nine days.

The once mighty toy store says it will be celebrating its grand reopening from Oct. 15-23 with family-friendly activities and events with giveaways featuring such brands as Barbie, Lego and more.

Toys R Us says it is also bringing back more than 10 flagship stores in several cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Miami and New York.

The flagship stores will reportedly range in size up to 10,000 square feet, with Macy’s in-store expansions possible during the peak holiday season.

The stores will feature hands-on demonstration tables for customers to interact with various toys and photo opportunities with a life-sized Geoffrey The Giraffe.

Target, Best Buy will close once again on Thanksgiving

Retailers such as Target and Best Buy are joining other big box stores in closing their doors on Thanksgiving Day.

Target is continuing its new Thanksgiving tradition of closing its stores during the holiday. Target started closing its locations nationwide on Thanksgiving Day amid the pandemic in 2020. Company CEO Brian Cornell informed all team members that stores would remain closed on Thanksgiving moving forward.

The retailer shared that it has reinvented its approach to the holiday selling season by spreading savings over several weeks versus a condensed timeframe.

“We’ve found new ways to help guests get holiday deals earlier than ever in the season, and we do an exceptional job meeting the demand during the peak weeks when so many of our guests turn out to shop,” Cornell said.

Best Buy will begin extending its hours on Oct. 30 and offer Thanksgiving deals online, but it will also close all its stores for the holiday.

According to The Associated Press, Thanksgiving has historically not been a big sales day overall because stores usually opened their doors around 5 p.m. However, it’s been a big online sales day.

Best Buy said its team is hiring thousands of seasonal employees for its stores and distribution centers for the holiday shopping season.

On Tuesday, Kohl’s announced it would be closing its doors on Thanksgiving Day.

Chick-fil-A has slowest drive-thru service times, report finds

A recent report found one of the more popular fast-food restaurants in the U.S. lagging behind others regarding drive-thru service times.

The 2022 QSR Drive-Thru Report shared findings this month that Chick-fil-A drive-thru times were behind other popular fast-food brands such as McDonald’s, Dunkin’ and Taco Bell.

But the reason for the higher wait times was because of the restaurant’s popularity. QSR said it found that Chick-fil-A drive-thru customers were waiting longer simply because the restaurants were busier than its competition.

Chick-fil-A led all fast-food chains in the report with an average of more than five cars in its drive-thru, followed by McDonald’s with three and Wendy’s with a little more than two cars.

And according to the numbers, customers don’t seem to mind the wait, as chicken lovers gave a 93% approval rating for “speed of service” satisfaction, which only trailed Arby’s 96% rating.

Overall, the report shared that it included 1,537 completed shops from June until the end of July from 10 major fast-food brands in the U.S. for its findings.

Anheuser-Busch announces the arrival of 2 new Budweiser Clydesdale foals

Boonville, Mo.

The Budweiser Clydesdales family is getting a little bigger.

Warm Springs Ranch, the 300-plus acre breeding and training facility for the Budweiser Clydesdales in Missouri, has two new members of the herd.

Representatives with the ranch said a colt and a filly were recently born on the property. The pair are enjoying the cool autumn weather and exploring the grounds of their mid-Missouri home.

“This is just the beginning of an incredible journey for these two Clydesdales,” said Amy Trout, herd supervisor at Warm Springs Ranch.

According to the ranch, Clydesdale foals stand about 3 feet tall, weigh about 150 pounds and can walk within hours of being born.

Adult Clydesdales are usually about 6 feet tall and weigh around 2,000 pounds. They will eat up to 20 quarts of grain and 50 pounds of hay and drink up to 35 gallons of water daily.

The ranch said Clydesdales must undergo years of training before becoming eligible to join one of the three traveling teams or hitches.

Ranch representatives said they look forward to welcoming visitors to meet their new foals.

“We are open to the public, and we’d love for guests to stop by for a visit to see these two up close,” Trout said.

The Warm Springs Ranch was established in 2008. The facility is home to more than 70 Clydesdales ranging from foals to stallions.

Visitors can tour the ranch with options available on the Warm Springs Ranch’s website.

Tupperware selling at Target stores nationwide

Tupperware is expanding its reach as consumers can now find its products at Target.

This week, Tupperware Brands CEO Miguel Fernandez said the company is reinventing itself by offering its products in retail through online and in-store sales at Target stores nationwide.

“We’re reinventing the business model our company has operated with for over 75 years to bring more products to more consumers,” Fernandez said in a statement.

According to The Associated Press, Tupperware had explosive growth in the mid-20th century. It held its first Tupperware party in 1948. But sales have sputtered in recent years.

Tupperware has traditionally been sold door-to-door or through Tupperware parties, where products were purchased during demonstrations with the host receiving credit.

“We’re honoring our legacy by continuing to host timeless Tupperware parties, and we’ll offer our products in new channels. Younger customers less familiar with direct sales will now find our brand in retail,” Fernandez said.

The Tupperware CEO said the company is looking forward to developing specific products and pricing in the future for customers as the Target move is “only the beginning.”

The products are currently available at Target with a starting price of $7.99.

“For more than 75 years, we’ve been the life of the party in homes around the world. We want to continue to have a seat at dining tables and be on kitchen counters for years to come,” Fernandez said.