<P> Charles P. Lazarus founded Children 's Supermart ( which would evolve into Toys `` R '' Us ) in Washington , D.C. , during the post-war baby boom era in April 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 June 1957 , and the first Toys `` R '' Us , dedicated exclusively to toys rather than furniture , was opened by Lazarus in Rockville , Maryland . Lazarus also designed and stylized the Toys `` R '' Us logo , which featured a backwards `` R '' 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 founded Children 's Supermart ( which would evolve into Toys `` R '' Us ) in Washington , D.C. , during the post-war baby boom era in April 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 June 1957 , and the first Toys `` R '' Us , dedicated exclusively to toys rather than furniture , was opened by Lazarus in Rockville , Maryland . Lazarus also designed and stylized the Toys `` R '' Us logo , which featured a backwards `` R '' 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>
what year did toys r us open their doors
what year did toys r us open their doors
June 1957
June 1957