--- description: A picture of Geoffrey the Giraffe leaving Toys "R" Us is going viral as the chain closes for good Friday. title: Picture of Geoffrey the Giraffe Is Upsetting Lots of Toys 'R' Us Kids image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltad289d2dc4e15fad/6989330cfb4eac6664896dfb/toys-r-us-closing-sale-957613810.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # This Picture of Geoffrey the Giraffe Waving Goodbye Is Upsetting Lots of Toys 'R' Us Kids by [Gina Martinez](/author/gina-martinez/) ## Gina Martinez Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 29, 2018 11:06 PM CUT  May 10, 2018: Toys R Us is the world's largest dedicated toy and juvenile products retail. It is the largest toy-centered retailer and the second largest overall toy retailer in the United States. Toys R Us Inc. is an American toy retailer headquartered in New Jersey, USA. Bankrupt retailer Toys "R" Us may shut all its US stores as soon as next week, according to several reports. Signs of different stores outside Toys R Us after filling for bankruptcy May 10, 2018: Toys R Us is the world's largest dedicated toy and juvenile products retail. It is the largest toy-centered retailer and the second largest overall toy retailer in the United States. Toys R Us Inc. is an American toy retailer headquartered in New Jersey, USA. Bankrupt retailer Toys "R" Us may shut all its US stores as soon as next week, according to several reports. Signs of different stores outside Toys R Us after filling for bankruptcyJorge Villalba—Getty Images by [Gina Martinez](/author/gina-martinez/) ## Gina Martinez Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 29, 2018 11:06 PM CUT A picture of Geoffrey the Giraffe leaving Toys “R” Us is pulling on the heartstrings of former Toys “R” Us kids as the chain closes for good Friday. Former employee Rene Johnpiere [posted the photo](https://www.facebook.com/rene.johnpiere/posts/10212230465617455 "undefined") Wednesday of Geoffrey the Giraffe, the popular mascot of the franchise, with a suitcase waving goodbye in the middle of an empty aisle of a Toys “R” Us. The image has been shared more than 300,000 times and has left many online feeling nostalgic and heartbroken. People have turned to social media to express their sadness. > [](https://twitter.com/Jadeycarrington/status/1012420828284276736) > [](https://twitter.com/alpharadtv/status/1012414251162591232) > [](https://twitter.com/carloslinera22/status/1012135210224365568) The toy store opened its doors 70 years ago. At its prime, it was the go-to location for kids to get the newest dolls, gadgets and toys. In 2017, Toys “R” Us filed for bankruptcy and in March 2018 the company announced it was going out of business and [closing all U.S. stores](http://time.com/5201842/toys-r-us-closing-forever-reactions/ "undefined"). Toys “R” Us posted a [goodbye message](http://www.toysrus.com/ "undefined") on it website, encouraging its former customers to “play on.” “Thanks to each of you who shared your amazing journey to (and through) parenthood with us, and to every grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother and sister who’s built a couch-cushion rocket ship, made up a hero adventure, or invented something goeey. Promise us just this one thing: Don’t ever grow up. Play on!” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5326396/toys-r-us-geoffrey-giraffe-goodbye/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5326396/toys-r-us-geoffrey-giraffe-goodbye/"},"headline":"This Picture of Geoffrey the Giraffe Waving Goodbye Is Upsetting Lots of Toys 'R' Us Kids","datePublished":"2018-06-29T23:06:41.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T20:43:57.122Z","description":"\"I can't believe childhood is cancelled\"","url":"https://time.com/5326396/toys-r-us-geoffrey-giraffe-goodbye/","keywords":["Bankruptcy","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltad289d2dc4e15fad/6989330cfb4eac6664896dfb/toys-r-us-closing-sale-957613810.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Gina Martinez","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/gina-martinez/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltad289d2dc4e15fad/6989330cfb4eac6664896dfb/toys-r-us-closing-sale-957613810.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Toys R Us after filling for bankruptcy","caption":"Toys R Us after filling for bankruptcy","creditText":"Jorge Villalba—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5326396/toys-r-us-geoffrey-giraffe-goodbye/","name":"This Picture of Geoffrey the Giraffe Waving Goodbye Is Upsetting Lots of Toys 'R' Us Kids"}}]}] ```