RETURN TO WONDER
More than 150 years ago, FAO Schwarz opened its magical doors in New York City to offer a world of fun and fantasy for kids everywhere. Its famous palace guards and clock tower welcomed young and old to experience the wonder of childhood.
Now there’s another icon of fun blasting off at the brand new FAO Schwarz in Rockefeller Center – a supersonic rocket ship speeding into a universe of play and fantasy. Storyland Studios is proud of our creative team of designers, sculptors and project managers who brought this FAO Schwarz dream to life.
The famous toy store closed its flagship 5th Avenue store in 2015 due to financial troubles, but fun can’t be held down for long. It reopened in November 2018 with a brand new home at Rockefeller Center.
DREAM TO DEDICATION DAY
We love a challenge. The rocket ship at FAO Schwarz is located right inside the store’s front door. It needed to be bright and colorful and loaded with fun to draw the kids right in. It’s wrapped in a stair case that winds around and leads up to the second level of toys and games (and the famous walk-on piano). Stuffed worker bears work on the rocket from scaffolding all around, and hidden underneath is a mirrored room that looks like eternity has landed.
Our team had great responsibility helping to re-imagine such an iconic and important place that holds memories for so many people, and we took our job very seriously.
With so much to play and do at FAO Schwarz, the Rocket Ship is truly a centerpiece of wonder kids and parents will remember forever.
Toy Soldier photo above and below courtesy of Lena Ulrich (@lenaulrich_) via Instagram