Amazon Considering Buying Some Empty Toys"R"Us Stores

Amazon.com is reportedly considering taking over some of the newly vacant Toys“R”Us storefronts. Fortune reports this week the online retail giant is looking at the possibility of acquiring some Toys"R"Us locations as it expands its brick-and-mortar footprint across the country. The stores would reportedly be used to showcase Amazon's Echo line of devices. Amazon has invested recently in brick-and-mortar stores, punctuated by last year's $13 billion acquisition of Whole Foods.

Total Retail's Take: I don't think the irony is lost on anyone that Amazon, one of the main e-commerce players that helped to push Toys"R"Us out of business, is now looking to expand to its physical store footprint by purchasing the leases of some of the vacant toy stores. I'm curious to learn how Amazon would use these storefronts. Hubs for buy online, pick up in-store? As distribution centers? New Amazon Go locations? Amazon appears committed to growing its brick-and-mortar business, and this potential move would underscore that strategy.