In 2015, it seemed like FAO Schwarz had been consigned to the great toy chest in the sky. But the brand, founded in 1862 by Frederick August Otto Schwarz, is back with a new shop across from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree just in time for the holiday season — and it’s here to stay.
What’s inside the new FAO Schwarz store
The 20,000-square-foot toy store at 30 Rockefeller Plaza has two-and-a-half floors filled with 200 FAO Schwarz-branded toys alongside products by 15 other well-known toys including Barbie, Melissa & Doug, Hatchimals and Paw Patrol.
Known for its towering displays, the store includes a new 27-foot rocket ship filled with teddy bear astronauts by Build-A-Bear Workshop and the returning clock tower with exposed gears, mountains of stuffed animals, hot air balloons and display cases shaped like drums, giving the store a Santa’s workshop feeling.
If you need help, just ask one of the “toy ambassadors” dressed like toy soldiers in uniforms designed by supermodel Gigi Hadid.
The famous giant piano from Big is back
Also back is the most famous attraction from the original FAO Schwarz store on Fifth Avenue: the giant floor piano made famous by Tom Hanks in the movie Big.
You don’t need to make an appointment to dance on the piano, and there will be “piano dancers” on hand to teach guests how to play songs like Heart & Soul and Chopsticks as well as perform their own numbers.
Exhibit sponsor Hape Music also sells musical instruments of all types for kids as young as infants and preschoolers.
How FAO Schwarz makes toy buying an experience
FAO Schwarz prides itself on in-store experiences, and there’s much more to do beyond shopping.
Kids can customize their own remote-control car at the FAO Raceway, or go through a whole baby doll adoption process at the FAO Schwarz Baby Doll Adoption Experience staffed by “nurses” and “doctors” who’ll perform “checkups” and teach kids how to care for their dolls.
Get a colorful mini makeover with a stop inside Alex Spa to get your hair and nails done, then gawk at a 9-foot-tall talking Optimus Prime at Hasbro’s More Than Meets the Eye experience. Looking for brainy gifts? Magicians perform the tricks sold inside Marvin’s Magic right before you eyes, and you can chat with a STEM professional in the #mindblown lab about everything science.
And if your kids aren’t already hyped enough from running around the store, there’s the new candy counter FAO Schweetz (an outpost of IT’SUGAR) with its own candy installations and new products like giant gummy unicorns and make-your-own gummy worm kits.
FAO Schwarz is located at 30 Rockefeller Center, open Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
