The first Babies “R” Us store in Hawaiçi plans to hold a grand opening celebration at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

The subsidiary of Toys “R” Us Inc. opened the store at the recently completed Pearl City Gateway complex on Saturday, joining one other anchor tenant, PETCO, at the new retail center near Walmart in Manana.
Roughly 20 additional spaces exist at the 313,426-square-foot center for retailers and restaurants, though no other tenants have confirmed plans to open.
Babies “R” Us said it has hired about 70 employees for the store, which is one of 263 nationwide for the chain. The company plans a variety of events over the weekend, including visits from costumed characters such as Dora, ArthurT and Brobee.
“With more than 10,000 babies born in Honolulu County each year, we look forward to being part of the lives of new and expectant parents in the area,” Jerry Storch, chairman and CEO of Toys “R” Us Inc., said in a statement.