<P> Charles P. Lazarus ( October 3 , 1923 -- March 22 , 2018 ) founded Children 's Supermart ( which would evolve into Toys `` R '' Us ) in Washington , D.C. , during the post-war baby boom era in 1948 as a baby - furniture retailer . Lazarus , who served in the Army during World War II , opened the first store at 2461 18th St. NW , where the nightclub Madam 's Organ Blues Bar is . He began receiving requests from customers for baby toys . After adding baby toys , he got requests for toys for older children . The focus of the store changed in 1957 , and Toys `` R '' Us was born in Rockville , Maryland . Around this time , Toys `` R '' Us 's stylized logo was created , which featured a backwards `` R '' in order to give the impression that a child wrote it . It was acquired in 1966 by Interstate Department Stores , Inc. , owner of the White Front , Topps Chains and Children 's Bargain Town USA , a toy - store chain related to Toys `` R '' Us in the American Midwest that would later be combined with the rest of the Toys `` R '' Us chain . The original Toys `` R '' Us store design from 1969 to 1989 consisted of vertical rainbow stripes and a brown roof with a front entrance and side exit . </P>
<P> Charles P. Lazarus ( October 3 , 1923 -- March 22 , 2018 ) founded Children 's Supermart ( which would evolve into Toys `` R '' Us ) in Washington , D.C. , during the post-war baby boom era in 1948 as a baby - furniture retailer . Lazarus , who served in the Army during World War II , opened the first store at 2461 18th St. NW , where the nightclub Madam 's Organ Blues Bar is . He began receiving requests from customers for baby toys . After adding baby toys , he got requests for toys for older children . The focus of the store changed in 1957 , and Toys `` R '' Us was born in Rockville , Maryland . Around this time , Toys `` R '' Us 's stylized logo was created , which featured a backwards `` R '' in order to give the impression that a child wrote it . It was acquired in 1966 by Interstate Department Stores , Inc. , owner of the White Front , Topps Chains and Children 's Bargain Town USA , a toy - store chain related to Toys `` R '' Us in the American Midwest that would later be combined with the rest of the Toys `` R '' Us chain . The original Toys `` R '' Us store design from 1969 to 1989 consisted of vertical rainbow stripes and a brown roof with a front entrance and side exit . </P>
when did bargain town become toys r us
when did bargain town become toys r us
1966
1966