Many a national consumer marketing campaign in the toy biz has kicked off at the prime Times Square location of Toys ‘R’ Us. And just before it heads into fall launch season, the outlet is being upgraded to include several new merch areas, including a children’s apparel department.

The 2,200-square-foot section will sit on the second level and feature everything for newborns on up. Licenses will be dominating prime real estate, and the likes of Elmo, Hannah Montana and The Transformers are already on-board.

Additionally, the toy retailer is trying to entice the collector market come through its doors. The new Science Fiction and Character Collectible Shop is stocking everything for the inner-geek, including Star Wars figurines and rare and unusual Star Trek garb. And an authentic replica of Kermit the Frog is taking center stage in the Walt Disney Showcase collection. Finally, a sports memorabilia and collectibles shop now sits on the lower level and features limited-edition keepsakes from all major sports franchises and, of course, a healthy dose of New York Yankees flare.