The international expansion of the FAO Schwarz brand is kicking back into high gear.
ThreeSixty Group partnered with Prénatal Retail Group — one of Europe’s largest toy retailers — to launch FAO Schwarz in Italy as the first move in an effort to extend its reach into Spain, France, Portugal, and Benelux. Prénatal, which operates the Toys Center and King Jouet chains, is working with ThreeSixty to create an FAO Schwarz flagship store in the heart of Milan.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to partner with Prénatal Retail Group to introduce the FAO Schwarz brand into Italy, says Jan-Eric Kloth, president, retail, international wholesale and corporate strategy at ThreeSixty Group. “Their retail know-how and knowledge of the European market and our expertise on in-store and online experiences make this a great match. We look forward to offering customers in Italy the same level of engagement that we have in New York while also surprising them with some new experiences and brands unique to the Milan store.”
The Milan flagship will include the famous FAO Schwarz clock tower and dance-on grand piano, in addition to the in-store product demonstrations and flair that the retailer is known for. The new store is expected to be open in the fourth quarter, just in time for the holiday shopping season.
