Babies ‘R’ Us is returning to Rockford

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Babies ‘R’ Us, which closed up shop in Rockford in 2018, is coming back.

Retailer Kohl’s announced that it will be opening new Babies ‘R’ Us sections inside 11 stores in Illinois, including the Forest Plaza location in Rockford, at 6125 E State Street.

“We see significant opportunity in the baby gear category,” Kohl’s chief executive officer Tom Kingsbury said in a release, “and partnering with Babies ‘R’ Us is another example of how we are finding new ways to optimize our assortment and further establish Kohl’s as the go-to brand for families.”

Nationwide, Babies ‘R’ Us pop-ups are expected to open in 200 Kohls stores, starting in August.

Babies ‘R’ Us and its sister company, Toys ‘R’ Us, went bankrupt in 2018.

Both brands were acquired by WHG Global, which kept them afloat as online retailers.

Toys ‘R’ Us returned to Rockford in 2022, as a 1,000-square-foot store space on the lower level of Macy’s, at CherryVale Mall.

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