FAO Schwarz returns to physical retail

The 20,000-square-foot store, now located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, features the giant piano keyboard made famous in the 1988 Tom Hanks movie “Big” and the big stuffed animals. It offers such brands as Build-a-Bear and an FAO Schweetz candy concept in partnership with It’sSugar. The company is now owned by ThreeSixty Brands, which has operated it as an online retailer. Previously FAO Schwarz was owned by the now defunct Toys ‘R’ Us.

The company’s plans for further expansion will be through partnerships with other retailers. It will have a presence in Kohl’s stores during the holidays and is teaming up with Hudson Group to open small stores in airports.

In Canada FAO Schwarz will have pop-up shops in 89 Hudson’s stores, ranging in size from 300 to 1,200 square feet. It has forged similar agreements with Selfridges in Britain and El Corte Ingles in Spain, where it will operate pop-up stores through the holidays. In Beijing and Shanghai FAO Schwarz will open two large stores in partnership with toy retailer Kidsland China and in coming years will open some 20 smaller stores there. The retailer has also opened up temporary store-in-stores in Australia’s Myer Australia flagship stores in Sydney and Melbourne.

"The expansion to these countries further exemplifies FAO Schwarz as a global kids lifestyle brand," said David Conn, CEO of ThreeSixty Brands, owners of FAO Schwarz, in a prepared statement. "FAO Schwarz was built on in-store experiences, which has made it a global destination over the years. In partnering with these amazing companies around the world, we are able to bring back that wonderment of toys and a deep nostalgia for the larger than life experience that FAO Schwarz has offered to parents and children alike for over 150 years."