Grand opening approaching for Geoffrey'

By By William F. West / community editor
Oct. 1, 2002
The Toys "R" Us chain plans to have its Meridian store open for business by Friday morning.
Corporate spokeswoman Carol Fuller said Monday the 40,000-square foot building will be one of only three stores marketing under the brand name of "Geoffrey."
Fuller said a Geoffrey store is different from a Toys "R" Us store because it not only sells toys but sells children's clothes and has place for children to eat and to play and has a place for children's birthday parties.
The company plans to show the Meridian store to news reporters on Wednesday, with Mayor John Robert Smith to cut the ribbon on Friday at 8:45 a.m. Fuller said Joel Anderson, a corporate vice president, will also be in attendance.
Fuller said the company decide to build a Geoffrey store in Meridian because it wanted to be in a rural area where it could afford to offer people a wide range of items.
The other two Geoffrey stores are in Abilene, Texas, and the Wisconsin city of Fond du Lac, located between Milwaukee and Green Bay. The Geoffrey name is a reference to the corporation's giraffe mascot.
Toys "R" Us has 688 stores nationwide.