The kid inside every New Yorker died a little bit when FAO Schwarz closed its doors in July, and the kid inside every tourist died a little bit when Toys "R" Us announced it would be vacating its sprawling Times Square store, but the Commercial Observer brings hope of a toy-filled future. They hear that the two toy stores, which are owned by the same company, are planning to re-open as a co-branded store in the Brill Building on Broadway at West 49th Street. The thought of the two stores teaming up together may conjure images of a veritable toy mecca, where FAO's big piano sits beneath Toys' 60-foot Ferris wheel, but don't get your hopes up.
The Observer reports that the Brill Building has about 50,000 square feet of retail space availablea fraction of the stores' original spaces. The Times Square flagship of Toys "R" Us measures a whopping 110,000 square feet, while FAO Schwarz's former home clocked in at more than 66,000 square feet. With iPad-toting kids buying all their toys with Amazon 1-click, it seems that our youth no longer have a desire to ogle $500 giant teddy bears and play the piano with their feet.
· FAO Schwarz and Toys "R" Us Looking to Open Combo Store at Brill Building [CO]
· New Yorkers Mourn FAO Schwarz's Last Day on Fifth Avenue [Curbed]
· All FAO Schwarz coverage [Curbed]
· Toys "R" Us coverage [Curbed]