Almost three years after closing its flagship store on 5th Avenue in New York City, FAO Schwarz is back!
The new store, located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza (the old NBC Experience Store), opened on Friday, November 16, 2018 and brought back classic renowned FAO Schwarz features as well as some new highlights. The famed FAO Schwarz clock face (above) is back but if you blink, you’ll miss it! An updated version of the giant piano (as seen in the Tom Hanks film “Big“) gets a stunning view of Rockefeller Plaza. Many times, the line to dance on the piano keys is long so be sure to save a spot in the line!
There’s also a Build-A-Bear Workshop located inside, as well as a station to build your own race car!
For those that remember the old store, you’ll find that this new location is quite different… but you’ll find very familiar toys to play with! Branded plush bear soldiers, mini piano mats, and classic train sets are just a few of the nostalgic memories you can take home with you:
And as always, FAO Schwarz offers a vast variety of toys across its 3 floors.
The first floor is where you’ll find Magic Kits (including the occasional magic demonstration), stuffed animals & dolls, racer customization, Sharper Image electronics, and even a Melissa & Doug grocery store (with even a checkout line) where kids can make-believe supermarket right there in the store!
This is also where you’ll find a ton of candy, aka FAO Schweetz! All aboard!
Heading up, the middle floor is filled with Hatchimals, Paw Patrol, Bunnies By The Bay, and Meccano construction sets! It’s sort of an in-between floor so it’s not exactly full of toys but it’s a great buffer to lead you up to the top floor, and my personal favorite:
The third floor features Barbie, Discover Channel toys, Transformers (including the light-up talking Optimus Prime above), puzzles, and of course the “Big” piano!
You’ll also find these completed Ravensburger 3D puzzles of the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center! 216 pieces each for ages 10+!
With at least 20,000 square feet of space, this FAO Schwarz is boasting a bunch of great stations for kids & families to kick off the holiday season. There is, however, a line to enter the store and will typically take approximately 1 hour to reach the front. But don’t worry! The line passes down 49th Street, right along the windows of the store so that you can get a sneak peek of the magic awaiting you inside!
It’s pretty exciting to have a toy store back in New York City and with a prime spot like Rockefeller Center, I hope we’ll be seeing FAO Schwarz here for a long time. So take a walk down memory lane and “Return to Wonder”! And if you’ve never stepped inside an FAO Schwarz before, what are you waiting for? Now’s your chance!
FAO Schwarz
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10111
Hours: Monday to Saturday 9am-10pm and Sunday 11am-10pm
LesDudis 