Company Children's Place to exit Disney Store

[Executioner]

But we do have to give them props though... They have been around before the WB stores were around and even now the WB stores are gone LOL. Yay for that at least.. I agree with you JCrickett. They really need to refocus on their merchandise hitting all ages and also make them affordable yet not at the Park Prices. What would also make it nice is to actually have the corporation talk to the store about what merchandise is in he store and how much room is in the stockroom. They would just send us boxes and we knew nothing of what was in them till we opened them. I hated that. Especially when we had no room in the stockroom to move. Always getting an off site stockroom during the holidays was a pain. But I did have so much fun working for them. I met so many wonderful people. It was a great experience and truly taught you how to deal with customers better than any other company in my opinion and even though I didn't get paid all that well, what I got in extras and percs more than made up for it.

[byucougs]

I used to pre-order every Disney movie through the Disney Store for the lithographs. I have every one of them, from Pinocchio in 1991 on. The quality of the lithos has gotten horrible since the Children's Place took over. I got the Ratatouille ones, but they were so bad I didn't bother getting the 101 Dalmations. The paper is crappy and the images aren't as nice. It was a sad day to see my collection come to an end. I would be so happy if I can start up again...

[baldbandit]

I miss quality merchandise of any kind from Disney. Remember the muskets they used to sell at the park? We made the mistake of buying the 60 dollar castle last time we were there. That thing never shut right and started breaking right away. Flimsiest piece of junk toy we've ever bought.

[Tom Morrow]

Disney Stores transfer will involve bankruptcy court

Transfer of Disney stores will involve bankruptcy court Newark New Jersey Star-Ledger The operator of the Disney Store chain said yesterday the return of more than 200 stores to Walt Disney could be completed by May if its restructuring plan is accepted by a bankruptcy judge, according to the Associated Press. The remaining 100-plus Disney Stores in North America would be closed, said Chuck Crovitz, interim chief executive of the Children's Place Retail Stores. His comments came in a teleconference with analysts less than a day after the Children's Place subsidiary that operates the Disney Stores filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. The subsidiary, Hoop Holdings, runs 322 Disney Stores. Secaucus-based Children's Place announced March 20 it was negotiating to have Disney regain control of two-thirds of those stores. That announcement did not mention bankruptcy protection would be used. Neither Children's Place nor its other subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy, the company said. Disney, of Burbank, Calif., said the bankruptcy filing was expected and talks are continuing. Associated Press

Sent from Ezra

[Ezra]

Our local Disney Store was completely focussed on toddlers and carried all the same cheap Disney merchandise that Target carries — at a higher price. They had one rack of DVDs and music CDs, and when they did away with that, they had absolutely nothing I was the slightest bit interested in — except Disneyland tickets.

A week ago, I passed through Lloyd Center on the way to work and the Disney Store was gone! No clearance sale, no announcement, just POOF!

Then three days ago, I passed by and there was already a new tennant. Finally someone is selling something I might actually buy in that space:
The Disney Character Outlet!

Yeah, I bought a few things...

Kim Irvine's Disneyland 50th Anniversary desert plate: $4.69 !


and of course these...

Hitchhiking Ghost action figures: $4.39 each!


I guess Disney was holding a lease that's not expired yet, so they may as well use the space for something.

[DaddyB]

Disney doesn't own the Disney Character outlets, so perhaps they were smart enough to sub-lease from Disney.

What would you think about Disney hiring Paul Pressler back to run the Disney stores again? Wasn't he the one who brought them to the top of their game back in the 90's?

[phd516]

Those are so awesome, Ezra!
I've been asking my mom to let me go back to the Disney Character Outlet in Fullerton, but she's insisting that I wait until I get a summer job (hopefully at Disneyland) before I go back. Pooh.

[xfkirsten]

Originally Posted by DaddyB

Disney doesn't own the Disney Character outlets, so perhaps they were smart enough to sub-lease from Disney.

What would you think about Disney hiring Paul Pressler back to run the Disney stores again? Wasn't he the one who brought them to the top of their game back in the 90's?

I think it would be great, actually. Merchandising was his strong point, and that's why I think he didn't work out at Disneyland - he was too focused on the merchandise and not enough on the park as a whole. Put him in a Disney retail store, and I think he'd be great.

[DaddyB]

...seeing as he's been canned from Gap....

[ShrunkenNed]

^It's really not a bad idea, I think he was a better fit with retail - one focus, and he could do great.

[Executioner]

I just looked at my 101 pins I got while working there and it made me feel sad... I kinda wish I still worked there but at the same time I am glad I am not. But I am glad I got that experience.

[AraBrokenDreamer]

Wow. I hadn't looked at this topic before and now that I have, I'm glad, because I've only been in three Disney Stores ever: Lakeline Mall, New York City, and the new Disney Outlet at Round Rock.

Actually, yesterday was the first time I'd been into the Lakeline one in over five years (after they brought in all of the really kiddie stuff, us tweens and teens got turned OFF), and I was pleasantly surprised to find one little patch of the store that WAS still adult and collectible stuff. Some decent adult tops, a bunch of coffee mugs, a pin collection, they had Mortimer Mouse collectors items, and things of that nature.

And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how little has changed of the actual shop. they still have the moving characters lining the top of the walls, the two giant display cases out front, the plushie pile right in front of the big screen TV... ah, I learned how to trick my parents into buying me stuff in that shop... good times, man, good times...

Did (technically does) Children's Place own ALL Disney Stores? Because this one hasn't changed too much other than the shrinkage of the adult section.

And the disney Store Outlet I saw had less disney spirit than that store. white walls, tiny isles, and crammed full with three things: princesses, pirates, and Disney Channel. It had no soul. Period.

-Ara

[Executioner]

I have a memento from my old Disney Store. hehehehe... I got a Mickey flag that was one of the props that was used for those characters on display around the store. It has a yellow wooden pole and the flag is metal painted blue with the classic Mickey face and circles behind it. Gosh I sure do miss working there.

[j1sy]

I just signed my Disney employment paperwork today for Disney store

[barfownz]

...and i worked their during their ownership by Childrens Place. :/ *sigh*