As a child, there was nothing quite as exciting as seeing the Toys R Us insert fall out of the Sunday Newspaper. The glossy pages filled with colorful toys sparked countless “I need that” from children completely consumed by the primal need for toys, toys, and more toys.
It’s hard to explain to someone who didn’t live through the Toys R Us of the 90s just how important it was to a kid. It was what Nickelodeon was to kids’ television. Or MTV was to music videos. It was a monolith.
Unfortunately, through a series of bad business decisions, Toys R Us lost its way (and market shares), not turning an annual profit since 2013, it filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and 2018.
But let’s not get mired in all that and remember it for what it’s known for: TOYS!
1. “Race in for values!”
2. It’s pretty incredible to see just how expensive everything was back then
3. Though I totally want one of those Sing-Along Cassette Recorders
4. As a young boy, this was a skip
5. And this stuff was just for babies; skip.
6. Now we’re talking
7. That $99.99 K’NEX set would be over $204 in 2024!
Why 1995 marked peak toy-store dominance
At the time, Toys “R” Us controlled a little over 20 percent of all U.S. toy sales, according to a May 1996 Washington Post business report on an FTC antitrust probe. That share, and the chain’s 1,400-plus stores worldwide, made its weekly inserts a must-study strategy map for holiday shoppers.
1995’s hottest list-price deals (and today’s collector values)
| Toy in the insert | Sale price (1995) | Typical eBay price, 2025* |
|---|---|---|
| Deluxe Megazord (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) | $34.99 | $150–$200 (boxed) |
| Nintendo Virtual Boy console | $159.99 | $450–$650 |
| Tyco RC “Rebound” stunt car | $39.99 | $90–$120 |
| Street Sharks “Ripster” figure | $5.99 | $35–$60 |
How shoppers planned pre-e-commerce Black Friday
Before online carts and push alerts, families relied on glossy flyers like this one, TV commercials, and gut-level doorbuster instincts. Lines began forming at 4 a.m., as news crews showed in holiday-weekend coverage that year. (Local stations repeatedly replayed the circular’s Virtual Boy price to lure viewers.)
Toys “R” Us nostalgia still rings up sales
The giraffe mascot never truly retired. A 2022 Business Wire press release announced that Macy’s would roll out Toys “R” Us shop-in-shops to 400-plus U.S. department-store locations, keeping the brand in front of a new generation.
Final page-flip
Thanks to digitised scans and collectors, you can still scroll every neon-price page of that 1995 circular. Grab a hot cocoa, cue up your favourite holiday playlist, and relive the year Toys “R” Us felt unbeatable.
Want more ’90s nostalgia?
Spray on confidence with the bizarre Hair in a Can infomercial, flip through the iconic Delia’s Spring ’98 catalog, and celebrate TGIF vibes with ‘Boy Meets World’ debuting in 1993.
