FAO Schwarz makes Paris store debut — with lots of unique experiences
FAO Schwarz has opened in the City of Light as it looks to grow globally.
The iconic toy brand unveiled a 7,000-sq.-ft. shop on the the 5th floor of Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann. The legendary Parisian department store welcomes 37 million tourists a year.
Visitors to the shop, which houses 24 major toy brands and emphasizes interactivity and customization, will be greeted by FAO’s signature toy soldiers. As in the brand’s other stores, the space is fashioned in red and black hues and gold lettering and features FAO's iconic grand piano, where visitors can dance to the music of its giant keys.
Other features include the brand's emblematic “clock tower” and its six mini-clocks, each chiming at the same time as the other FAO stores around the world: New York City; London (at Selfridges); Dublin (at Arnott's); Milan; Beijing; and Seoul (2 stores).
The Paris store also features six unique experiences:
•Barbie Styled by You: The new retail experience by Mattel and FAO Schwarz offers a special customization designed to showcase the full Barbie experience, featuring two large Barbie styling stations supporting a step-by-step design process. Barbie fans get to personally select a doll as well as the fashions, accessories, doll case and more.
•My FAO Doll : An interactive experience that lets children take care of their own doll, choosing their baby carrier, outfit and accessories. Each doll comes with a unique birth certificate, and becomes a true member of the family.
•Build your Car by Majorette: The experience allows customers to choose a car and its customized elements to make it unique.
•Jelly Cat : The plush brand known for its playful designs will open a plush patisserie in July where customers can buy various pastries and have them boxed like real pastries to take home and love.
•Bunnies by the Bay : Customers can choose their favorite bunny (or teddy bear, goose, owl or elephant) from available models and personalize it and all its accessories as you wish. They can embroider a first name, a message of love or a motif of their choice, “thanks to the splendid sewing machine and the skillful hands of an ever-present member of staff,” FAO said.
•Build a Bear: Customers can create their teddy bear by actively participating in every stage of its production, from selecting the different types of bear to stuffing and choosing their favorite clothes. They can also enter the bear's name in the register, to obtain an official birth certificate.
"Our mission at FAO Schwarz is to inspire awe and wonder around every corner of the store, and we're excited to bring that same experience to Paris," said David Niggli, chief merchandising officer at FAO Schwarz. "
In 2021, California-based ThreeSixty, which acquired FAO Schwarz in 2016 from Toys”R” Us, entered into an agreement with PRG Retail Group to give the company exclusive management of the license for Europe.
“Following the arrival of FAO Schwarz in the heart of Milan in 2021, marking the brand's entry into continental Europe, we have long sought another location that could fully embody the brand's DNA," said Amedeo Giustini, executive VP of PRG Retail Group. “Paris and Galeries Lafayette Haussmann perfectly represent the answer to the objective we have pursued together with ThreeSixty Group. “A prime destination for luxury icons, it is the perfect setting to introduce the uniqueness of FAO Schwarz to the French and millions of tourists. A name that, together with the high quality and uniqueness of its products, offers its audience something that goes beyond the material and carries with it the experiential value of discovery and wonder.”