Toys R Us at the Central Retail Park in Manchester

A look at the old Toys R Us store at the Central Retail Park on Great Ancoats Street in Manchester.

While looking through my photos during lockdown and prompted by my recent look at the old Woolworths store in Brunstane, Edinburgh I found these views of the old Toys R Us store at the former Central Retail Park on Great Ancoats Street in Manchester.

The old Toys R Us unit at Central Retail Park in Manchester

The snaps were taken in February and March last year following the demise of the brand and the closure of the retail park.

How the store looked in early February 2019 

The demolition work had really begun when we passed by a month and a half later

A look at the entrance to the store in March 2019

Geoffrey was the last to leave the Ancoats store

Working at Toys R Us

My first job during my time at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Shopping at Toys R Us

It was a real shame to see the brand go under. It was always a treat when me and my brothers would visit to buy games for our SEGA Master System in the 1990s. I've still got those games, some have the Toys R Us stickers on.

A nice piece of ephemera

Other lost brands

Our travels around the country have seen us spot the remnants of a number of old and defunct brands, including Woolworths in Stoke-on-Trent, Tandy in Hitchin, RadioShack in Lytham Saint Annes, Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness and Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester.

Do you have a favourite 'lost shop' from years gone by? Maybe the remains of an old brand are still visible on a building near where you live or work? Do let me know.

Regular Show & Miniature Golf

Just before Christmas one of my nephews told me to check out a cartoon on the Cartoon Network called ‘Regular Show’, so I did.

It’s brilliant.

The show followers two 23-year-old Park Groundskeepers, Mordecai and Rigby, and the many shenanigans they get up to as they try to avoid work and their angry boss, Benson. The pair enjoy slacking off, playing video games (on what looks like a Sega Master System 1), Zombies and Rock Paper Scissors, amongst other things!

The rest of the cast of characters on the show are a weird bunch too.

One of the episodes ‘Do Me A Solid’ features Minigolf (in an ironic sense).

I urge you to check out Regular Show, it’s anything but!

Links:
- Regular Show on Cartoon Network UK
- Regular Show on Cartoon Network USA
- Regular Show page on Wikipedia