Key takeaways:
- Nordstrom is bringing FAO Schwarz products to Nordstrom.com beginning in June, with store locations and a curated assortment rolling out across all Nordstrom doors later this year.
- Eight Nordstrom locations will feature a store-within-a-store format called “The Jewel Box,” offering hands-on experiences and live toy demonstrations.
- The assortment spans premium plush, fashion and beauty toys, creativity, music, preschool and vehicles, alongside specialty brands such as Brio, Bunnies by the Bay and Djeco.
Nordstrom has entered a partnership with FAO Schwarz to bring the toy brand’s products and in-store experiences to customers nationwide. The online assortment launched in June on Nordstrom.com, with physical retail locations and a broader product selection rolling out across all Nordstrom doors later this year.
FAO Schwarz, founded in 1862, positions itself around premium toys, collectibles and immersive retail theater. The partnership gives the brand a new distribution channel through Nordstrom’s store network and digital platforms, while giving Nordstrom an experiential retail component in the kids and gifting categories.
“FAO Schwarz represents imagination and joyful discovery, which aligns naturally with how we think about creating meaningful experiences for our customers,” said Tacey Powers, EVP and General Merchandise Manager for shoes, kids and home at Nordstrom. “By partnering with a retailer that shares our vision for thoughtful curation and immersive retail moments, we’re able to create something truly special.”
What the Partnership Includes
The product assortment covers FAO Schwarz branded categories including premium plush, fashion and beauty toys, creativity, music, preschool and vehicles. It also includes specialty brands such as Brio, Bunnies by the Bay and Djeco, as well as infant and preschool offerings. Exclusive toy launches targeted to the Nordstrom customer are part of the arrangement.
Select locations will feature a suite of hands-on experiences, such as:
- FAO-Abulous: Design and accessorize a custom handbag.
- FAO Doll: Select a swaddle, sign the birth certificate and bring home a chosen baby doll.
- FAO Beauty: Build a custom makeup kit with a personalized color palette.
- Brio Personalization Station: Hands-on customization with the Brio train collection.
The online assortment on Nordstrom.com will offer a broader selection than what’s available in physical locations.
Store Locations
FAO Schwarz is opening its second New York City location at the Nordstrom NYC Flagship, its first new NYC location in more than 100 years.
Eight Nordstrom locations will also carry “The Jewel Box,” a curated store-within-a-store format with immersive branded activations and live toy demonstrations:
- Aventura Mall (Miami, Fla.)
- Bellevue Square (Bellevue, Wash.)
- Brea Mall (Brea, Calif.)
- Garden State Plaza (Paramus, N.J.)
- NorthPark (Dallas, Tex.)
- Oak Brook Mall (Oak Brook, Ill.)
- South Coast Plaza (Costa Mesa, Calif.)
- Fashion Valley (San Diego, Calif.)
“Nordstrom is a perfect partner for FAO Schwarz, with its long tradition of beautiful stores, unique and quality products, and its commitment to the best in customer service,” said David Niggli, FAO Schwarz’s Chief Merchandising Officer, in a statement. “By bringing our two iconic brands together, we’re creating an engaging experience where shopping becomes playful and full of wonder, while sharing our exclusive products, collaborations and retail theater through immersive demonstrations and experiences with Nordstrom customers.”
