Toys R Us, Idolize Brows and Beauty returning to Crabtree Valley Mall

Crabtree Valley Mall is bringing back two names Raleigh shoppers already know: Toys R Us and Idolize Brows and Beauty. Their return to the first level beneath the food court is a small move on paper, but it carries bigger stakes for one of Wake County’s most important retail properties, where every tenant change signals something about foot traffic, leasing strategy and whether familiar brands can still pull people in.

Crabtree opened in 1972 and now spans about 1.3 million square feet, with the owner saying it has more than 200 stores and draws about 10 million visitors a year. Macerich bought the mall for $290 million and has said it is putting about $60 million into redevelopment and stepped-up leasing through 2028, a sign that Crabtree is being treated as a long-term asset, not a property to simply hold and hope for the best.

The Toys R Us space is listed as Space 1095 on Glenwood Avenue, and Go! Retail Group says the store is aimed at Triangle families with interactive play and gift shopping. That matters in a mall like Crabtree, where nostalgia alone is not enough. The return of a toy brand works best when it adds a reason for parents and children to visit together, linger longer and make the trip feel worth it.

Idolize Brows and Beauty brings a different kind of draw. The chain says it offers threading, waxing, facials, lash lifts and lash extensions, along with walk-in service. That mix fits the way Crabtree has evolved: not just as a place for anchors and apparel, but as a center where routine grooming, errands and repeat visits can support the broader tenant mix.

The timing also lines up with a larger shift under Macerich’s ownership. Level99 is planned for about 40,000 square feet in the former Belk men’s store, and Axios reported that Macerich wants more experiential tenants, not just traditional retailers. In that context, Toys R Us and Idolize look less like isolated reopenings than pieces of a broader strategy: combine recognizable brands, services and entertainment to keep Crabtree relevant in a crowded retail market.

For Raleigh shoppers, especially those in the city’s north and west sides, the practical effect is straightforward. More familiar names are coming back, and they are coming back to a mall that still matters regionally. Whether that signals broad stabilization or simply selective strength at Crabtree will depend on how well these tenants translate recognition into repeat visits.