The iconic New York City toy store will close tonight for the last time. I’ve been there; it was fantastic. Even the one we briefly had here in Las Vegas was fantastic.
And now it will be like tears in rain.
Farewell, FAO Schwarz.
Haven’t they closed more than once already? I seem to recall a big deal when they ‘closed’ several years ago.
I think I heard they’re looking for a new location (sorry, no cite.)
My sister and I are a bit bummed because we’ll be in the area soon and we wanted to see the store.
Verily, the mammoth floor piano hath played its last chopstick.
I’ve seen FAO Schwartz toys at the local Toys ‘R’ Us, so I’m guessing they won’t be gone entirely, just the store.
According to Wikipedia, their Fifth Avenue store was closed from January to November in 2004 as the company changed owners after a bankruptcy.
Damn. Haven’t been there in a long time, but it’s sad to see it go. The FAO Schwarz in Boston migrated from Newbury Street to Boylston (on the corner, with a HUGE bronze teddy bear out front). Then when that store closed in 2004 (not to be replaced) the Teddy Bear was (after consideration of other spots) given to The Floating* Children’s Hospital at Tufts Medical Center:
http://www.publicartboston.com/content/fao-schwartz-bear
*The hospital no longer floats, but was originally on a ship: History of Tufts Medical Center at Tufts Medical Center Boston
That sounds about right. That would have been right after we visited it, so the news would have caught my eye. Thanks.
Now the attraction on that corner of the park is the holy Apple Cube. 
Time to buy.
Yer ok with me, Dame; we can hang.
If the name has any value, look for some entrepreneur to buy the name and set up a website selling toys. Just the name recognition alone would have some value.
FAO Schwarz has been owned by Toys R Us for six years, so I don’t see “some entrepreneur buying the name and setting up a website selling toys.”
I went to the flagship store about 25 years ago with friends. We were all adults, but it was the coolest place. They did have a giant clock/display piece in the lobby that played a jingle over and over again. It would drive me nuts if I was working there.
But they had really cool toys displayed in an inviting fashion. Much merchandise was the same as available in Toys R Us or Walmart, but the big box stores are basically warehouses, while FAO Schwarz made the toys enticing. And they had some high-end toys, like stuffed bears by companies like Stieff or Gund and ride-around toy cars (that cost about $10,000). It was a lot of fun even just to visit the store.
My partner and I used to live in NYC, and had one of our first dates in that store. Sorry to see it go, like so many other beloved places.