 The money Greenman Brothers were forced to pay out to upgrade the Circus World stores after paying to purchase the chain, plus the money they lost liquidating unsaleable merchandise, resulted in less operating capital to purchase merchandise for the 1986 Christmas selling season.Although the chain would become profitable again by 1990, it had failed to differentiate itself from competitor Kay-Bee Toys, and Greenman management decided to sell the chain.In July 1990, Melville Corporation announced plans to purchase Circus World's 330 stores in 32 states for $95 million; the locations were to become part of Melville's Kay-Bee division.