乌鸦传媒淏usiness is good,乌鸦传媒� said Melanie Teed-Murch, president of Toys 乌鸦传媒淩乌鸦传媒� Us and Babies 乌鸦传媒淩乌鸦传媒� Us Canada.

She was being interviewed in the Langley Toys 乌鸦传媒淩乌鸦传媒� Us store, a few weeks after a deal was completed to keep the Canadian chain of toy stores in business despite the shutdown of the U.S. parent company of the same name.

乌鸦传媒淭hey (Toys 乌鸦传媒淩乌鸦传媒� Us in the U.S) closed their door on June 29 and it is no more,乌鸦传媒� she said.

Since then, Teed-Murch said, some former shoppers of the American stores have been coming north.

乌鸦传媒淲e have lots of U.S. customers writing to us and crossing borders (to shop).乌鸦传媒�

On June 1, Toys 乌鸦传媒淩乌鸦传媒� Us (Canada) Ltd. closed a deal with Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. to buy the chain, which operates over 80 stores and employs more than 4,000 people.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e Canadian owned and operated,乌鸦传媒� Teed-Murch said.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e here to play and we乌鸦传媒檙e here to stay.乌鸦传媒�

Among Canadian customers, there has been some confusion about the fate of the two chains, Teed-Murch said, stressing the Canadian stores are doing well.

乌鸦传媒淭he financial situation is bright,乌鸦传媒� she said.

乌鸦传媒�(The fact that) we乌鸦传媒檒l be reinvesting in our stores is what Canadian customers need to know.乌鸦传媒�

The Langley store happens to be the first new-concept store opened by Toys 乌鸦传媒淩乌鸦传媒� Us Canada, a 乌鸦传媒渃ustomer centric乌鸦传媒漧ayout that will be applied to 40 other stores in coming weeks, Teed-Murch said.

The format includes dedicated play areas, interactive stations for kids and mobile pay, part of an 乌鸦传媒渙mnichannel strategy乌鸦传媒� to connect to customers wherever, whenever and however they want through the chain乌鸦传媒檚 online webstore, mobile and store shopping experience.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 onwards and upwards,乌鸦传媒� Teed-Murch says.

In announcing the deal with Fairfax Financial, the Canadian chain said it remained committed to its philanthropic initiatives, such as the Starlight Dashes across Canada where seriously ill children from the Starlight Children乌鸦传媒檚 Foundation get three minutes to race around the store and fill their carts with toys.

When Toys 乌鸦传媒淩乌鸦传媒� Us in the States announced it was looking to sell off its Canadian subsidiary as part of its bankruptcy proceeding, Toys 乌鸦传媒淩乌鸦传媒� Us Canada issued a statement that its business was managed in Canada, operated autonomously from the U.S. operations, and had a 乌鸦传媒渟trong cash and liquidity position.乌鸦传媒�

All customer programs like Baby Registry, 乌鸦传媒淩乌鸦传媒滳lub loyalty and wish list continued to operate.

Gift cards purchased in Canada can be redeemed anytime online and in any store location across the country.

dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
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