Toys ‘R’ Us reportedly may close at least 100 stores

Toys 'R” Us, which filed for bankruptcy in September, is considering closing at least 100 U.S. stores in the face of weak holiday sales, according to people with knowledge of the situation.

U.S. sales have declined about 15 percent this Christmas-shopping season from a year earlier, according to people recently briefed on the matter who asked not to be identified because the information isn't public.

The number of closed stores could reach approximately 200, one of the people said, but no decision has been made.

The chain operates a store in Cedar Rapids and in Williamsburg, as well as venues in Davenport and Des Moines.

'Final decisions about our real estate portfolio will be done only after careful consideration about the best interests of our business,” said spokeswoman Amy von Walter. 'Any speculation on that figure is premature and likely to be inaccurate.”

The Wayne, N.J.-based company operated 879 U.S. stores as of the end of January, according to its last annual report.

The prospect of Toys 'R” Us closing locations deals another potential blow to its biggest suppliers, Mattel and Hasbro. The toymakers have already blamed Toys 'R” Us's bankruptcy for hurting results.

Mattel, the maker of Barbie and Fisher-Price, has been particularly hard hit, with sales plunging in North America last quarter.

Shutting stores is common practice for bankrupt retailers, but Toys 'R” Us has said that its Chapter 11 filing wouldn't herald a big retrenchment for the largest toy-store chain.

CEO Dave Brandon said in September that the company was pushing ahead with plans to open more stores in some cities. And it was contemplating extending the lease on its Times Square location, which opened in August as a temporary holiday shop.