F A O Schwarz for Toys and Tots

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

The famous FAO Schwarz toy store is reopening in NYC

as well as having a pop up store in Toronto and future

venues in Spain, China and Australia. The doors open;

with oversized stuffed animals, the life sized piano,

in the movie “Big”, magic shows, DIY train sets and play

grocery. A new twist, a baby doll adoption center. The NYC

branch will be at 30 Rock Center and opens to pre- Xmas

crowds on November 18th. The store with big red letters

was formerly on Fifth Avenue, but closed in 2015.

The original 1862, FAO Schwarz, was in Baltimore

and was named Toy Bazaar. See a mini Mercedes

Benz for $25,000 with 44,000 red, white or black

Swarovski crystals, a gift for future drivers. Model,

Gigi Hadid, surprised us with the 1st female toy soldier

outfits which FAO employees wore to greet

shoppers. The store made a Barbie doll of Hadid as

well as having a manicure station. FAO S. has a 27 foot

tall rocket ship with their famous teddy bear astronaut.

Who would have known when Frederick August Otto

Schwarz immigrated from Germany to Baltimore, he

would create a dynamic and #returntowonder toy store.

Schwarz was sold in 2002 to Right Start and then

Toys R Us, as the parent company. 360Degree Brands

is going to be at the helm and it looks like a happy holiday

season for kids and the inner adult at heart.