YouTuber Ben Laurence has explored an abandoned Toys R Us store, revealing eerie empty shelves, discarded signs, and haunting relics of a once-iconic toy store chain
A haunting glimpse into one of the most iconic retail graveyards has been captured by YouTube creator Ben Laurence, who explored an abandoned Toys R Us store in the US – and what he found was a time capsule of childhood memories, now slowly rotting away.
In his video, Laurence films himself stepping inside the derelict store after being unexpectedly granted access by someone who appears to be working on demolishing the building.
“I’m shaking I’m so excited,” he says. “I’ve got to be quick in here, but this is insane.” The footage shows eerie, empty shelves, long-abandoned checkouts, and remnants of the once-thriving toy empire. It comes after Brits are told to never put one banned item in garden bins as you could face punishment.
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Dimmed lights flicker above half-filled coffee cups, left behind on counters where staff once scanned action figures and Barbie dolls.
Torn Lego advertisements hang limply, while in the shadows, the old video game area still glows faintly.
Toys R Us was once a giant of the high street, operating more than 100 stores across the UK at its peak.
But in 2018, the company fell into administration after struggling to keep up with online competitors and changing shopping habits.
All UK stores were closed that year, leaving behind vast, empty units across the country – many untouched since.
Outside this particular store, the giant Toys R Us signboard still looms, advertising a shop that no longer exists. While the branded signage on the building has been stripped away, letters from the original sign now sit discarded outside.
“It’ll be a real shame to see these letters thrown out like trash,” Laurence says in the video. “These are historical Toys R Us artefacts. All this stuff is going to end up in a landfill.”
Despite signs of a new development being built inside – with cars parked outside and work seemingly underway – the interior of the building remains frozen in time.
Among the finds are the instructions on how to use a shopping trolley, still posted inside the store, and a lone Christmas tree in the backroom, surrounded by crushed boxes and empty bicycle racks. “You can still smell the rubber of the tyres,” Laurence says. “Which is crazy.”
He also stumbles upon signs of recent human activity – not from workers, but likely trespassers. Empty alcohol bottles and cans are strewn around. “Seems like someone’s been boozing it up,” he says. Rat traps line the exterior, hinting at the vermin drawn to the decay.
“This is the remnants of the Toys R Us shelves,” he says, pointing to the torn-out fittings. “This is probably the last time we’re going to see the building looking like this. If they’re ripping off the letters, they must be planning to do something with it.”
