 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Toys |
| Founded | 1862 (as Toy Bazaar) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Founder | Frederick August Otto Schwarz |
| Headquarters | Rockefeller Center, New York City, New York, U.S. |
Number of locations | 6 |
| Products |
|
| Owner | Morse Partners (1986–1990) ThreeSixty Group (2016–present) |
| Parent | W. R. Grace and Company (1970–1974) Christiana Companies (1985–1986) Vendex KBB (1990–2001) Right Start (2001–2004) Toys "R" Us (2009–2016) |
| Website | faoschwarz.com |
FAO Schwarz is an American toy brand and retail chain.[1] The company is known for its high-end toys, life-sized stuffed animals, interactive experiences, brand integrations, and games.[2]
FAO Schwarz claims to be the oldest toy retailer in the United States, founded by its namesake, Frederick August Otto Schwarz, in 1862 in Baltimore before moving to New York City, where it has moved between several locations since 1870. The dance-on piano, made famous by the 1988 Tom Hanks film Big, brought international attention to the brand. FAO filed for bankruptcy twice in 2003 before temporarily shuttering the Fifth Avenue location in January 2004.[3] In May 2009, Toys "R" Us Inc. acquired FAO Schwarz, but in 2015, it permanently closed the Fifth Avenue location. ThreeSixty Group then acquired the brand, who opened the new FAO Schwarz location at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in November 2018. In 2019, ThreeSixty opened locations in Chicago,[4] Beijing,[5] London[6] and Dublin.[7]
The "FAO Schwarz" brandname and trademarks are owned by the FAO Schwarz Family Foundation and exclusively licensed to the ThreeSixty Group who own and operate the retail locations.
- ^ "FAO Schwarz: 150 Years of Toys". CNBC. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014.
- ^ Verdon, Joan (October 14, 2010). "Toys 'R' Us has big plans for luxe retailer FAO Schwarz". Daily Record. Morristown, New Jersey. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012.
- ^ Schlossberg, Mallory (July 15, 2015). "The world's most iconic toy store is shutting its doors today". Business Insider. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
- ^ Zumbach, Lauren (April 15, 2019). "FAO Schwarz, Eddie Bauer, sushi: Midway Airport is becoming more like a mall. And there's more to come". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
- ^ Yew, Linda; Liu, Yujing (March 5, 2019). "FAO Schwarz to open its largest flagship toy store in Beijing to introduce Chinese consumers to 'experiential' shopping". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
- ^ Lim, Kelly (October 24, 2019). "FAO Schwarz Opens First European Flagship at Selfridges in London". Women's Wear Daily.
- ^ Quann, Jack (May 20, 2019). "FAO Schwarz to open flagship store in Dublin". Newstalk.