The new store hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Frederick August Otto Schwarz created the famed FAO Schwarz in 1862, but it closed its Fifth Avenue flagship shop in 2015 due to rising rates.
Threesixty Group, a product manufacturer and distributor, is building the store after purchasing the whole Toys R Us name in 2016. The store’s lease of 20,000 square feet of premium tourist-friendly real estate was not disclosed by Threesixty, but it was previously reported to be long-term.
In New York City, FAO Schwarz was known for its sophisticated and pricey toys. The Fifth Avenue flagship store debuted as a tourist attraction in 1986, complete with a theme song, a musical clock tower, and doormen dressed as royal guards.
The business had long been known in the city for its incredible displays and toys, as well as appearing in a number of great films. It was home to the roaming piano featured in Tom Hanks’ film Big, and the inside was used for filming in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York as Duncan’s Toy Chest, making it synonymous with Christmas for many people.
Following a months-long closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, iconic New York City toy retailer FAO Schwarz has reopened its flagship site in Manhattan. FAO Schwarz has already begun to expand globally. The business has reopened in a new site at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, just in time for holiday shopping, though it is smaller than the original. However,the site is ideal for tourists visiting New York during the holiday, as Rockefeller Plaza is already a must-see destination for travellers during the holidays, as it is home to the famed Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and skating rink.
Here’s what it got for you
The store aspires to be more than simply a place to buy new toys – it’s an entire experience for customers. According to David Conn, CEO of FAO Schwarz’s parent business ThreeSixty Group, the goal is to create the area “experiential” and one that can “provide theatre and drive people.”
Some of the more iconic aspects from the prior location have been transferred to the new location, such as the gigantic dance-on piano, which will now be reflected on the ceiling above. Throughout the year, there will be piano dancers doing shows and teaching guests how to dance and play songs. A 27-foot tall rocket ship filled with teddy-bear astronauts is one of the newest attractions.
The store will reopen with limited hours and new safety protocols in place, including mandatory face coverings for all employees, markers to encourage social distancing and traffic flow, managing entrances and exits, register guards, sanitising stations, limited store occupancy, and daily store cleanings.
Rejoice, toy collectors!
The massive toy store is a dream for kids and parents alike, with a 27-foot long rocket ship and three-dimensional clocktower built right in. Baby Doll Adoption Center, Build Your Own RC Car, Sharper Image Robotics and Drones, Marvin’s Magic, Discovery Science Lab, Style Your Own Barbie, Build-A-Bear, Bunnies by The Bay shop, and more are among the experiences and demonstrations now available at the store.
The firm will unveil new experiences that will include interactive movies, everyone’s favourite characters and celebrities, and possibly a puppet or two, according to the company. Apart from the excitement of visiting the store, consumers may find many “Instagrammable” moments within the new store’s walls. According to the Journal, the store would be interactive, with product demos by workers, magicians, and personnel dressed up as characters such as toy soldiers.
Aside from a vast range of Barbie dolls, plush toys, puzzles, and numerous other toys, the store also has a Build-A-Bear Workshop station, a little manicure salon, and a Discovery science station. A large sweets shop is also located on the first floor. The 20,000-square-foot three-story facility at 30 Rockefeller Plaza is filled with life-size plush animals and a walk-on piano keyboard.
The following are some of FAQ Schwarz’s expansion plans:
*All 89 Hudson’s Bay locations throughout Canada will establish pop-up FAO Schwarz shops, ranging in size from 300 to 1,200 square feet, in collaboration with FAO Schwarz. Items will be available for purchase at www.thebay.com as well.
*The team will open a pop-up for the holidays in early November 2018 in collaboration with Selfridges in London, UK, as part of their “Selfridges Rocks” Christmas Shop.
*In China, a 27,000 square foot flagship will open in March 2019 at Kidsland China in Beijing. Over the following few years, more businesses and pop-ups will open.