I used to work at Toys R Us

[def]

A large part of the reason I'm a Lego collector today is that I worked at Toys R Us through most of the late 90s, about five years or so. I moved up in the ranks a little (and got to visit their Canadian head office a few times) but ultimately the pay was terrible unless you were the head of the store. At the time I was a university student, studying post modernism, art history, sociology, etc. and I was really offended by the concept of the store (the gender programming and the manipulation of children) but also uplifted that a lot of kids couldn't care less.

Anyway, here was a little ditty I drew to 'express' myself about my time there. This was back when I was young and handsome-ish. The Lego shoutout is in the 4th panel.

I'm just posting this as I was remembering my first return from my dark ages...

[Clone OPatra]

Lovely comic def! I really love your hair, with the three spikes. Did you actually wear it like that then?

I've always thought of Toys R Us as a form of hell, turning the purchasing of toys into a big conglomerate enterprise. I'd love to shop at small, local toys stores more often, but hey, the biggies always have the LEGO (at least TRU does, anyway).

Do you have more comics like this? It reminds me of American Splendor.

[def]

Lovely comic def! I really love your hair, with the three spikes. Did you actually wear it like that then?

I've always thought of Toys R Us as a form of hell, turning the purchasing of toys into a big conglomerate enterprise. I'd love to shop at small, local toys stores more often, but hey, the biggies always have the LEGO (at least TRU does, anyway).

Do you have more comics like this? It reminds me of American Splendor.

I was a rave-punk at age 23, spiky hair and baggy pants and all.

I worked at Toys R Us since I considered all work Hell, but I was really happy to get the job at age 18. I really didn't apply anywhere else. I wanted work to at least be ridiculous.

Thanks for mentioning American Splendor. I've only read a fraction of Pekar's stuff, but I really like it. I've done more auto-biographical stuff than this, but it's not online... too telling! There's a really great balance where you can write about yourself without being gut-wrenchingly personal, and not being ego-stroking either, and I was never very good at it, but this strip walked that fine line.

Believe it or not, all the staff talked about was sex. Everyone was 18-25. At my job now, nobody talks about sex, except when out drinking. But at Toys R Us, everyone's mind was in the gutter.

[prateek]

Nice comic! I'm sorry to hear that is how you felt about working at TRU, but most of that stuff is true

[Whittleberry]

Nice comic! I agree, every toysrus I've ever been in has had a terrible sterile, superficial atmosphere. The whole place is filled with cheap garish crap. It is indeed a hellish place.

[Siegfried]

Pika.... chu!

You're a funny guy with a lot of talents. You really should treasure that comic; it's a sample of your psyche. Thanks for sharing.

[Princess Muttonchops]

What a cool comic! You obviously had strong feelings about working at TRU. I wish I could draw that well, it would have saved so many bad poems from being written (for the safety of humanity, these painful pieces of prose shall forever be locked away in my cupboard)... Thanks for sharing!

[def]

well, I only started this thread since I got nostalgic about my first 'return from the dark' way back when, but the topic was really about working at TRU. I worked at three different stores, Whitby, Don Mills, and Dufferin Mall (featured in the above strip), all in Toronto or the suburbs of. A bizarre, fun time. But, maybe, it's time to update the strip...

At the time, I was an urban hipster, spending all my cash on parties, clothes and recreational stuff, and sometimes I'd have chill outs at my apartment in the wee hours, where I'd show off my new Star Wars Lego and say things like, "I know it's not cool, but, well, it's absolutely awesome!" Some of those people are still my friend and some aren't, so who knows what they thought. I was convinced it was awesome.

I ended up quitting Toys R Us when I couldn't buy new shoes. Enough was enough. But it was a great job to work when you were in that 'less than $10/hour' bracket. I worked about three Christmas night crews too, October to December, five nights a week, stocking shelves for your Christmas joy. I used to do elaborate displays with overstock until I got reprimanded for it... I made a model Star Destroyer out of Puzz-3D Star Destroyer sets. My manager said customers would be afraid to take boxes out of it, and had to make it into a simple cube of sorts. Good times, good times.

@Siegfried, I play a mean sudoku too

[RocketClone]

Heh "work or die"

In a wierd way your comic strip kind of reminds me of one of my favorite comic strips Dilbert.

And plus, what kept you working there?

Edited April 19, 2010 by RocketClone

[JimBee]

Hah, very nice comic, def! Great illustrations, and it really made me laugh. It also made me think about some things you highlighted here...

"The boys toys are over there with the pretend manual labor toys".

Funny, but sad, too.

[The Legonater]

Heh "work or die"

In a wierd way your comic strip kind of reminds me of one of my favorite comic strips Dilbert.

And plus, what kept you working there?

Oh yes, Dilbert. That's hilarious.

Thanks for sharing def.

[def]

And plus, what kept you working there?

I had to pay rent. In university the money was fine, but after that, when I started full time and got promoted to department head, and was still dirt poor, I realized I had to quit (and so began my dark age!)

I really wanted to work at Toys R Us. I never went there as a kid, my parents wouldn't take me,.

I didn't want to work at a restaurant, too smelly. Not at a factory, too soul-crushing. The only other retail that would have been fun would be a record store, comic store, or video store.

[The Eye]

That's really depressing. Now I don't want to work at TRU.

But nice cartoon. You obviously have a true knack for LEGOs and artwork.

[Corvus]

Neat. It's very clever, and highlights several of the concerns I have whenever I visit massive stores like that. Stick with Lego!

I ended up quitting Toys R Us when I couldn't buy new shoes. Enough was enough. But it was a great job to work when you were in that 'less than $10/hour' bracket. I worked about three Christmas night crews too, October to December, five nights a week, stocking shelves for your Christmas joy. I used to do elaborate displays with overstock until I got reprimanded for it... I made a model Star Destroyer out of Puzz-3D Star Destroyer sets. My manager said customers would be afraid to take boxes out of it, and had to make it into a simple cube of sorts. Good times, good times.

That's terrible. I know a model Star Destroyer out of Star Destroyer model sets would catch my eye over some block any day.

[Big Cam]

Wow, def, was that all free hand I suppose? You are a very talented artist, adn I can feel you on the comic. I worked at a burger king for almost 6 years. I started out at 15 making $4.25 and hour and ended up as an assistant manager, then I left to get out of my small town.

I hope you didn't give up drawing? You'd make a great comic writer.

[def]

Wow, def, was that all free hand I suppose?

Give me a comic with a teenage girl (let's say the legal age of 18-19) and yes, I was happy to free hand draw it.

[dr_spock]

Nice comics. If I could draw, I would do one for my in university job of security. Breaking up drunk and stoned university students fights was kind of interesting. Did you get employee discounts?

[Big Cam]

Give me a comic with a teenage girl (let's say the legal age of 18-19) and yes, I was happy to free hand draw it.

Well great job!