FAO Schwarz
FAO Schwarz is an American toy brand and retail chain. The company is known for its high-end toys, life-sized stuffed animals, interactive experiences, brand integrations, and games.
| 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 |
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| 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 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. 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, Beijing, London and Dublin.
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.