From the first Toys “R” Us outlet, opened in 1957 in the Maryland suburbs near his hometown of Washington, Lazarus stuck to a winning formula of high volume, discounted prices and cookie-cutter predictability. Washington–Charles Lazarus, who combined supermarket-style service with touches of whimsy in creating Toys “R” Us Inc., a retail success that fought high debt and fierce competition and finally succumbed just last week, died. Bain Capital LLC, KKR & Co. and Vornado Realty Trust took over Toys “R” Us in a $7.5 billion leveraged buyout in 2005. It had more than 1,600 Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores in 38 countries at that time. When it emerged in 1978 as Toys “R” Us Inc., a public company, Lazarus was CEO.

Source: thestar March 22, 2018 22:52 UTC