Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries: Ep. 72 KB Toys

Episode 72

2nd February 2022

Austin is here to talk about the rise and fall of the “toy store in the mall” KB Toys.  While Toys R Us was just a twinkle in its founder’s eye, KB toys was creating the modern toy store, moving into malls and developing unique strategies to make it stand out.  But after several business mishaps and a stinky leveraged buyout, KB Toys would find itself struggling to make it through the 2000s.  Does this story have a happy ending?  No!  Does Brenda bring up Mitt Romney an obnoxious number of times?  Absolutely!

Episode notes

Austin is here to talk about the rise and fall of the “toy store in the mall” KB Toys.  While Toys R Us was just a twinkle in its founder’s eye, KB toys was creating the modern toy store, moving into malls and developing unique strategies to make it stand out.  But after several business mishaps and a stinky leveraged buyout, KB Toys would find itself struggling to make it through the 2000s.  Does this story have a happy ending?  No!  Does Brenda bring up Mitt Romney an obnoxious number of times?  Absolutely!

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About the show

Two friends, Austin and Brenda, delve into the rich history of secret nerd mysteries near and dear to their hearts in their own loose, light-hearted way. If you’ve ever wondered “Why Saturday morning for cartoons?” or “How come Chuck E. Cheese cares so much about other people’s birthdays?”, this is the show for you!

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