Target and FAO Schwarz will release an exclusive 70-piece toy collection later this month, which will be available at all Target stores nationwide, on Target’s online store, and at the FAO Schwarz flagship store in New York City. This is especially exciting for fans of FAO Schwarz, since at one point the brand was defunct: The company went bankrupt and closed its doors in 2015, before being resurrected in 2018.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb According to Target’s website, the full collection will be revealed on Oct. 18, and it will be available for purchase on Oct. 25. Many of the items are reportedly marked at under $20, as well. A preview on Target’s website reveals that the collection includes miniature trains, toy pianos, beauty products, and teddy bears. Christina Hennington, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Target, said in a statement that the new FAO Schwarz collection will help “provide something new and exciting for kids of all ages, all at an incredible value.” “We also recognize our guests have a lot to think about this holiday season, and we hope they find comfort in the safe, easy experiences we’ve created, whether shopping in our stores or using one of our convenient fulfillment options,” she added. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. FAO Schwarz has been an iconic name in the American toy-selling business for almost 160 years, after first opening in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1862. Just eight years later, the company moved to New York City, where the store became a landmark itself, often called the “World’s Most Famous Toy Store.” It certainly didn’t hurt that FAO Schwarz was featured in an iconic scene in the 1988 film Big. However, the luxury toy company has faced several hardships over the last two decades. FAO Schwarz’s store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, which had been there since 1986, permanently closed in 2015 after the company struggled to compete with discount retailers like Target, who were offering toys at a lower price. FAO Schwarz had also filed for bankruptcy twice before that, in 2003. During this time, the company was exchanged through many hands. Thankfully, in 2018, ThreeSixty Group, Inc. reopened an FAO Schwarz store in Rockefeller Plaza after acquiring the company. And now their one-time competitor Target will be collaborating with them directly. “The partnership between FAO Schwarz and Target seems so right because when you think about the history of Target, they’ve been known to bring great product, great design, great brands, across the country,” David Niggli, chief merchandising officer for FAO Schwarz, said. “FAO Schwarz has been known for a lot of those same things.” And for more recent retail news, Walmart Will Finally Start Selling This in All 50 States.
