FAO Schwarz Plots Expansion Beyond Toys with New Licensing Partners

As FAO Schwarz preps a return to the Javits Center in New York for its first Toy Fair since returning to brick-and-mortar retail, the icon is looking ahead for a move beyond toys and into lifestyle for kids and families. The company announced several new licensing agreements in the candy, home, and accessory space as well as expansion of its physical retail footprint with new international and national locations.

<p dir="ltr"FAO Schwarz has licensing agreements with Britannica Home Fashions (bedding, bath, holiday), Galerie USA (chocolates, gift sets and other seasonal/holiday candy offerings), and Uncas International (jewelry, hair products, key chains). Products from these companies will be created in collaboration with FAO Schwarz and are set to debut this fall.

Physical Retail Expansion:

Last fall, FAO Schwarz’s new flagship store at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City opened its doors, followed by the opening of its first airport location at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B. In partnership with Hudson Group, additional airport locations featuring FAO Schwarz and FAO Schweetz are on-deck for Chicago Midway International Airport and Indianapolis International Airport, with further locations to be announced.

The company recently announced the first-ever European flagship store will open in London on Nov. 1, located within Selfridges department store’s famous Oxford Street location. Additionally, a partnership with Kidsland is in place to position FAO Schwarz as a force in mainland China, and the company will continue expanding in Canada with shop-in-shops located inside Hudson Bay stores.

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.