Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.comment From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Toys 'R' Us hustles to open store in Wheaton for Christmas Date: Sat, 21 Nov 92 17:35:41 EST Message-ID: \SE C;COMMENTARY;MONEY \HD Toys 'R' Us hustles to open store in Wheaton for Christmas rush \BY Betsy Pisik \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES For most people, the Christmas countdown involves maids a-milking, lords a-leaping and a partridge in a pear tree. For Toys "R" Us, it's been more like tradesmen a-painting, managers a-stocking and a man wearing a giraffe suit in the parking lot. The Wheaton location is the newest of the chain's 540 U.S. stores, and one of 54 sites to be opened between Sept. 1 and Thanksgiving in anticipation of the Christmas season. "If we don't open in time for Christmas, we don't want it till the following year," said Michael Miller, the company's senior vice president in charge of real estate. "And that sometimes isn't the easiest. We've really been rushing." Rushing to convert a former Chevy dealership into a fully stocked and staffed 37,000-square-foot toy store in only three months. "This is lot quicker than most," said T.J. Slade, the company's regional manager and a veteran of 10 store openings. "We usually take three to four weeks to stock a store. We've done this in 11 days." Toys "R" Us typically carries 18,000 items in its inventory. Mr. Slade, Wheaton store general manager John Suozzo and store director John Riley have been working 18 hours a day for the past week, doing everything from reassuring headquarters to helping unload and assemble four truckloads of shelving. Less than 24 hours before the Georgia Avenue branch's 9 a.m. opening, Mr. Slade appeared calm. The yellow paper signs were being replaced with printed aisle markers, most of the shelves were filled, and the morning shift - one of three that have been operating around the clock since Nov. 10 - was dusting off video-game cartidges and assembling bicycles. Another team was going over the checkout stations with glass cleaner and rags. Outside the store, men with steamrollers, welding torches and paint brushes were finishing the parking lot. The labor cost "is certainly justified by Christmas sales," said a hoarse Mr. Slade. "We're typically a 24-hour-a-day operation this time of year anyhow," he said. Most branches are open from 8 a.m to midnight in the weeks before Christmas; crews restock the shelves in the early morning hours. Toys "R" Us does nearly half of its business in the fourth quarter, Mr. Miller said. Extra employees were hired to prepare the store and see it through the Christmas rush, while seasoned staff from other branches were brought in to train new recruits. More than 100 local tradesmen - electricians, painters, pavers and carpenters - worked to transform the former Dick Stevens Chevrolet dealership into a toy store. "It took more work than some," Mr. Slade said of the conversion. Interior walls were removed and existing walls were reinforced with steel beams. Part of the ceiling had to be lowered to make room for a Kids "R" Us, a children's clothing store expected to open upstairs this spring. The Paramus, N.J., toy giant operates 213 Kids "R" Us stores in the United States, and Mr. Miller expects Toys "R" Us to open another 90 in the coming year, both here and abroad. Touring the massive Wheaton toy store, Mr. Slade steps over boxes and detours around ladders. Deliverymen wave papers to be signed. He is paged repeatedly. "We gonna make it?" asked Karen Bradley, who was dispatched from the Waldorf store to show new employees how to stock display cases. "Of course," Mr. Slade said. More than 7,000 people are expected to come through the doors today. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM