Toys 'R Us in Michigan
April 2, 2005
Story by Rob Amid (WedgeWannaBe)
 

"ON MY SIGNAL, UNLEASH HELL"
I imagine that it was phrases like this, from the movie Gladiator, that were floating through the Toys 'R Us Manager’s head as he indicated that it was time to open the doors. As I was standing by the displays with fellow members of the 501st, I was in shock and awe at how the sea of people continued to flood into the store. When we had entered the store to suit up in our armor, there was only a modest line. Yet after eight minutes, there was still a steady stream of collectors flowing through the double doors. Within 10-12 minutes, the large display was empty of figures and the mob began to swarm the secondary display on the other side of the store. Looking around, you could tell by the looks on their faces, which TRU employees were seasoned veterans and which were experiencing this for the very first time.

What had once been a calm scene centered on a huge three-part Star Wars display had then deteriorated into a pushing match like two hockey players fighting for a puck in the corner. The members of the 501st tried to help out by restocking the pegs, but it seemed an endless task for the first hour. About the only thing that we didn’t have to touch was the Attactix as maybe only one or two items sold. Even the little plush Clone Troopers did better. Needless to say, at one point the mob’s determination was too much for the efforts of the 501st and the TRU employees. Collectors turned to opening boxes of merchandise on pallets to find what they were looking for. Father-son teams, husband-wife teams, the lone collector, and buddies helping each other out were all present within view. They were all ripping open boxes to find Clone Commanders and Clone Pilots. Pretty much everything else, except for a few of the higher numbered figures, was present in abundance. A vast majority of the handwritten checklists fell short of all 40 figures.

Thanks to the efforts of my wife, who was acting as the photographer of the evening, I was able to score the Clone Troopers and ARC-170 Fighters that I had been looking for as well as some awesome action shots. After the big push died down, those of us in armor picked through the remnants to score some of the other items on our list. I grabbed a few deluxe figures and a BARC Trooper with Speeder Bike, while my comrades centered on Unleashed, the Star Wars Risk game, and a few more figures.

In the end, it looked as if a tidal wave had made its way from the shores of Lake Michigan and decimated the Toys R Us store. Empty and partially filled boxes littered the area while a few straggling collectors weaved in and out. This being my first Midnight Madness, I was amazed at the volume of collectors and toys that passed through the doors. In the spirit of Darth Vader, all I can say is “Impressive.”

PHOTO GALLERY