FAO Schwarz Returns to NYC for Christmas

Following Toys “R” Us’s (Wayne, N.J.) departure, legendary premium toy brand FAO Schwarz (New York) is planning for a return to New York this fall. The toy company will return to Manhattan in the form of a permanent storefront in Rockefeller Center, set to open Nov. 16.

The original Fifth Avenue toy store closed, much to the disappointment of its longtime fans, in 2015 due to unsustainably high rent prices and rising e-commerce competition.

The retailer plans to make an international comeback, too, with plans to open pop-up shops in Spain, Australia and London, according to CNBC. It will partner with Hudson’s Bay (Toronto) to open 1000-square foot pop-up shops in almost 90 of the department stores, and with Kidsland China (Guangzhou, China) to debut two stores in Beijing and Shanghai next year, along with up to 20 small-format stores across China.