FAO Schwarz Toy Store Is Returning

If you're still heartbroken over the loss of Toys 'R' Us earlier this year, here's some news that might just cheer you up. FAO Schwarz is coming back this November.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the iconic toy store is set to return roughly three years since it closed its Midtown Manhattan location in 2015. The new location will be a 20,000-square-foot offering in Rockefeller Center and is the first step towards reviving and expanding the brand globally.

Originally founded in 1862 under the name "Toy Bazaar", FAO Schwarz had been purchased by Toys 'R' Us in 2009, but in Oct. 2016, the ThreeSixty Group Inc. purchased the brand for an undisclosed price. With the recent closure of Toys 'R' Us and a retail climate that often sees brick-and-mortar retailers struggling to stay competitive against online counterparts, the new FAO Schwarz may have its work cut out for it. To that end, the new store isn't going to be more than a typical toy store. FAO Schwarz is set to be staffed with various product demonstrators, magicians, and costumed characters -- including the iconic toy soldiers -- to provide shoppers with a full experience.

And yes, the dance-on piano made famous in the 1988 Tom Hanks film Big will be there with dancers on hand "to tape out a few tunes".

In addition to the Rockefeller Center location, a smaller store is planned for LaGuardia Airport this fall with a Chinese location scheduled to open sometime next year. Auditions for the various performers that will be employed by the store are set to start in September while the store itself will be open in November, just in time for the 2018 holiday season.

Are you excited for the return of FAO Schwarz? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.