Kennewick Toys ‘R Us Will Close, Part of Liquidation of Entire Chain

It's official, the largest toy chain in the world is shutting down, liquidation sales have begun at many Toys 'R Us stores in the U.S. and overseas, and that includes Kennewick.

A call to the Kennewick store near Columbia Center gave little detail, except the workers saying they themselves were told they would "stay open for the next 60 days."

It's presumed the store will conduct a 'fire sale' similar to what we saw a while back with Sports Authority. Everything will be marked down, with the percentages increasing until the store is empty. Everything will be sold, right down to the racks, shelves and fixtures.

But the liquidation could leave other companies in the lurch. The Wall Street Journal reports this collapse could leave vendors without payment. A $1 billion dollar-plus loan last September during a reorganizational bankruptcy left hope for saving at least part of the company, and toy vendors continued to ship merchandise to outlets all over the country.

However, now the Journal says they could be on the hook for as much as $450 million that they likely will not be paid.

There is a possible glimmer of daylight however, The Journal says the company is still seeking a buyer to purchase the 200 most profitable stores, but until any such buyer is found, they legally must pursue a liquidation of all stores.

Assuming the company completes it's liquidation and shuts down, it will cost about 33,000 jobs scattered across the U.S.