FAO Schwarz Opens European Flagships at Selfridges, Arnotts

Following its return to the U.S. with the opening of a flagship store in New York City last fall and the opening of its first international flagship in Beijing this spring, FAO Schwarz is opening its first European flagship toy stores.

Now open on Oxford Street in London, FAO Schwarz at Selfridges features more than 22,000 square feet of toys and experiences for the whole family. Next week, a 6,000 square-foot location will open inside Arnotts in Dublin, Ireland.

FAO Schwarz at Selfridges features Discovery #MINDBLOWN, FAO Schweetz, LEGO, and more.

“The opening of these flagships and expansion in Europe further exemplifies FAO Schwarz as a global kids lifestyle brand,” says Jan-Eric Kloth, chief operating officer of ThreeSixty Group, owners of FAO Schwarz. “FAO Schwarz has proven time and again that our in-store experiences are key to creating a memorable visit filled with wonderment and excitement for kids of all ages. We are so excited to bring this larger than life experience that FAO Schwarz has to offer for over 150 years, to Europe.”

Arnotts, Dublin’s Department Store announces the arrival of the world’s most magical toy store FAO Schwarz to its Henry Street location. RTÉ TV and Radio host Ryan Tubridy is pictured with the iconic toy soldier to celebrate the announcement.

The new stores include many of the popular experiences from the NYC location including the famed dance-on piano, magic shows, baby doll adoptions, a build-your-own RC race car department, and more. Both European locations also include the FAO Schwarz Clock Tower and Rocket Ship as well as the FAO Schweetz candy store.

Partner brands at launch include Playmobil, LEGO, Steiff, Bunnies By The Bay, and Schleich, and both locations will include toys from ThreeSixty house brands including Discovery #MINDBLOWN and Sharper Image.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.