<Tr> <Th> Number of employees </Th> <Td> 4,300 (prior to closing) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> www.kbtoys.com </Td> </Tr> <P> K B Toys (also known as Kay Bee Toys) was a chain of mall - based retail toy stores in the United States . Founded in 1922, it operated, at its height, 1,300 stores across all 50 states, and went out of business in 2009 . International retailer Toys "R" Us acquired the remains of K B Toys, consisting mainly of its website, trademarks, and intellectual property rights . </P> <P> Founded in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1922 as a candy store by the Kaufman Brothers, K B operated 605 stores in 44 U.S. states, Puerto Rico as well as Guam . It was privately held in Pittsfield, Massachusetts . K B Toys was owned by Melville Corporation, but that company sold it to Consolidated Stores in 1996 . It was also the second - oldest operating toy retailer in North America (behind FAO Schwarz) before its demise . </P>

When did kb toys go out of business