Great fun for kids (FAO Schwarz)

Member Name: emmakate06

Product:	FAO Schwarz
Date:	15/06/09 (14 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great selection of toys

Disadvantages: Expensive, not as good as it used to be

I have visitted FAO Schwarz in New York several times now during some shopping trips to the city. It is located at 767 5th Avenue at 58th Street and is close to Central Park making it quite easy to locate.

The first time I visited this store I was very impressed and amazed by the variety of toys available. There were a lot of toys aimed at the wealthy and whilst I could never afford these kinds of toys they were still great to look at. When you first enter you can't help but notice the life size stuffed cuddly animals. Whilst my kids loved soft toys, I think I would have to draw the line at having a life size giraffe or elephant in their bedroom, but if you have both the money and the room for these in your home then they are amazing. Around these they do have a soft toy display with regular sized stuffed toys which also feature a much more reasonable price tag.

As I ventured upstairs, I saw what I had been looking forward to seeing, this was the giant piano as featured in the Tom Hanks film Big. There was a huge queue for this though full of kids who looked so excited I think I would have felt guilty parading up and down the keys whilst a 5 year old had to wait for me to have my turn. Instead I watched one of the displays which are held throughout the day by two members of staff who play several pieces of music on the piano between them.

Also upstairs were some luxury childrens cars. These are high class cars but made in childrens sizes and as you can expect this is reflected in the cost. They had all the latest sportscars displayed on rotating platforms. They looked fantastic, but my son and daughter seem quite satisfied with their Little Tikes cosy coupe car and I dont think that them having a child size range rover with heated leather seats and six disc cd changer would improve their enjoyment that much!

Downstairs came my favourite part of the store, the ice cream parlour and milkshake bar. These were amazing. It took some time to get a seat but wow was it worth it. I ordered a chocolate milkshake for $10 which came served in the largest ice cream sundae dish you can imagine. It was that large that it came with three straws each of varying lengths so that you could reach the bottom. There were numerous scoops of different kinds of chocolate ice cream all coated in milk, cream and various toppings. I couldnt manage it all, but the amount I did manage certainly left a lasting impression.

My first visit to this store was in June 2005 and this was definitely the best visit I had here. I recently returned in February this year and was very disappointed that the standard was nowhere near as high. The cars are no longer in the store and the piano has now moved to this area. They have also now introduced the photo opportunity at the piano where if you want your photo to be taken on it then you have to pay for it as opposed to taking your own photos. It is also in a much more compact space and seems quite hidden away as opposed to the hustle and bustle that surrounded it on my first visit. The ice cream parlour has now also disappeared and has been changed into a large pick and mix. There was no where near the same atmosphere and excitement surrounding the store in my latest visit and I only ended being their for around ten minutes, where as previously I could have easily spent a couple of hours here.

Overall, it is still a great place for kids, but I wont be bothering to visit here again in the near future.

Summary: Toy store which seems to have lost its magic