NORTH AMERICA. Renowned toy retailer FAO Schwarz has partnered with Hudson Group to open a series of shops in US and Canadian airports.
The announcement of the FAO Schwarz branded stores comes after the company made its world airport debut with a festive season pop-up shop at John F. Kennedy International Airport, in association with DFS Group.
The airport stores will feature signature FAO Schwarz branded toys and games as well as products from other brands. The first store will open later this year.
Stand-alone candy stores will also open under the famous FAO Schweetz name, the partners said.
FAO Schwarz was founded in 1862 by Frederick August Otto Schwarz, fulfilling his dream of a bountiful emporium full of extraordinary, one-of-a-kind toys from all over the world. Today it is considered one of the world’s oldest and most iconic toy brands.
The company is best known for its now-closed flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City, and the floor piano immortalised by Tom Hanks in the film Big. FAO Schwarz relaunched in 2017 and is now embarking on an international growth strategy.
A number of shop-in-shops opened in over 5,000 retailers in the US for the 2017 holiday season, while a new 20,000sq ft flagship store is scheduled to open in New York’s Rockefeller Plaza in time for the 2018 festive period.
As well as the expansion into airports, FAO Schwarz will launch into Mainland China this year via a brand collaboration with China’s largest toy distributor, Kidsland.
“Extending the enthusiasm surrounding our retail rollout and upcoming Rockefeller Center flagship to airports across the country is an exciting and natural progression for the brand,” said FAO Schwarz Chief Merchandising Officer David Niggli.
“FAO Schwarz’s products and experiential retail format lend themselves well to the travel retail experience, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Hudson Group, a leader in the space.”
