Charles Philip Lazarus (October 4, 1923 – March 22, 2018)[1] was an American entrepreneur, executive, and pioneer within the retail toy industry.
Lazarus founded the Toys "R" Us retail chain, which evolved from a children's furniture store he originally opened in Washington, D.C. in 1948.
[2] Though Lazarus originally focused on children's furniture and strollers, he soon became interested in the toy business based on his customers' habits and preferences.
[2] Lazarus tweaked the name and logo by turning the "R" around to face the left to appear as if a small child had written it.
The company was considered a retail titan by the 1980s as it began to expand overseas with locations in Canada, Spain, and Singapore.
[3] In August 2013, Lazarus sold his duplex residence at 960 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan to billionaire Carlos Rodriguez-Pastor for $21 million.
[3][2][7] Lazarus died of respiratory failure at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City on March 22, 2018, at the age of 94.