When I was a kid back in the 70's and 80's... Toys R Us was the greatest retail store in (my) existence. I only got the opportunity to go there a few times a year on special occasions like finding a birthday present for a friend. But when it happened, it was like thirty minutes of pure happiness. Action figures, video games, and model kits were my favorite sections, but I'd make sure to spend time in the Lego, board game, and bicycle areas as well.
By the late 80's and early 90's, they also became a source of sports cards. They collaborated with Topps to produce their popular Baseball Rookies boxed set from 1987 to 1991.
1993 Topps Toys R Us Factory Set
Then in 1993, they teamed up with Topps again and produced a special Stadium Club set featuring young baseball stars from the era. That year I had walked away from the hobby to focus on college, so I had zero interest in purchasing this set at the time.
However fast forward thirty-three years and I found myself purchasing this set at the De Anza Flea Market for five bucks. The key to this purchase was the set of 5x7 Master Photos that was included in the box:
1993 Topps Toys R US Master Set #NNO
Scan of Card Back
1993 Topps Toys R US Master Set #NNO
I feel like these twelve oversized cards are worth the five bucks alone. But Toys R Us also included a 100 card box set as a bonus. Here's a peek at some of the bigger names from that set:
In an era where blaster boxes containing seventy-two cards will set you back $25 at Target, I feel like boxed sets from the 90's like this one are a better bargain. But that's just my two cents.
Don't worry... I'm not hating on current sets. Heck I'm building a bunch of Topps sets from the past few years.
One of them is the 2023 Topps flagship baseball set. John over at Johnny's Trading Spot recently sent me over 200 cards for my set build:
Thank you John!
Greg over at Night Owl Cards also sent me some set help:
These four cards completed my 2025 Topps Holiday base set:
Thank you Greg and John for helping me out with these set builds! And thank you to all of you who took the time to read this post.
Today's question of the day:
Were you a Toys R Us kid?
Do you have any fond memories of shopping there when you were a kid?
If so, please share them down in the comment section below. I promise to read and respond to all of them.
Until then...
Happy Sunday and sayonara!
14 comments:
You have a few packages coming from me.
you are most welcome, pretty sure those 26' topps were from Greg's dupes. Caution on the Rod packages coming, he just sent me one that was a blow me away one!
As a kid, I remember it was so much fun when brought by godmother and parents to pick out gift. As a teen, I remember buying packs of cards that I had to point to, because they were displayed on shelves behind a counter, you had to ask assistance for.
I remember the Nintendo video game wall at Toys R Us. I think we purchased two games there (the rest came from Circuit City or the used cartridges at the local movie rental store). I was actively buying cards when those boxed sets were released, but the only baseball cards I remember seeing on the shelves was the Hygrade starter kit.
I was most certainly a TRU kid and I love that set that you found, especially for those oversized Master Photos. What a steal for $5! Very cool on the set help from John & Greg as well.
Congrats on finishing the Holiday set, happy to help! (Yes, the 2026 Padres are from me).
I remember seeing Toys R Us commercials on TV as a kid (probably one of the NYC channels) and desperately wishing I could go to one, there weren't any near me.
We didn't have a toys r us locally, I am more of an Ames kid
👍
Congrats on your purchase. $5 seems like an unbelievable deal to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Master Photo of Griffey Jr. was worth that.
I’m too old to be a TRU kid, but I took my kids there a time or two.
My kids were TRU Kids. I'm not sure what toy stores were around when I was that age. I always waited for the Toy catalogs at Christmas. Enjoy the hobby all!
Say Rod can you help me with 2 cards of the Padres check my blog for the 1 then contact me for the other thanks
I was a TRU as well & 1 of my earliest jobs was a night stocker at TRU they let me go cause I was supposed to be holiday help but I was hired in May that year weird eh
TRU closing was really the turning point of when life got to be no fun. My brother would take me every week to check for new NASCAR stuff. Even though they didn't have anything most weeks the thrill of going made it never feel like a waste despite leaving empty handed. I have so many great memories of my local store. After 2005 when NASCAR pulled the license from Racing Champions and Hot Wheels I only started going maybe 2 or 3 times a year but it was still special.
rod - thanks in advance. hope things are going well.
johnnys trading spot - thanks again for all of the set help.
laurens - i remember buying blasters and fairfield repacks from tru, but that was in the late 2000's when i started collecting again. good times.
cardboredom - the video game section at tru was awesome. i could spend 30 minutes just browsing that department alone, but my mom would usually tell me to hurry up. i actually don't remember seeing a card section at my local tru back in the 80's. i feel like the rookies box sets were placed by the registers (but i could be wrong).
dennis - yeah, i love the master photos. i'm such a sucker for oddball stuff like those.
night owl - thanks again for finishing the holiday set for me. and thanks for the padres inserts too.
matt - never been to ames, but i have seen some of their cards (from their box sets) floating around over the years.
mark z - 👍
kcjays - yeah, i couldn't pass it up for that price. the master photos were pretty much the reason i decided to buy the set. i love oddball issues. even big ones that are a pain in the butt to store
rj sahl - i love the sears toy catalogs. in addition to tru, we also had kaybee toy stores in the malls. it was nice to have so many options. the only problem is that i didn't have a lot of money :D
poison75 - that's cool that you worked at tru. i'm kinda surprised that i never considered applying there.
billy kingsley - i'm glad you made some great memories with your brother there. it was a sad day when all of the tru stores closed in my area. even as an adult, if i was bored and i needed to kill time, i'd stop by and check out their cards or action figures.
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