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FAO prides itself in offering unique products
in an unforgettable environment. Management
designed its stores to interact with customers
in a manner, which distinguishes itself from
other retailers. Considered the leading
specialty seller of toys and collectibles in
the United States, FAO is a mecca for toy
lovers from all over the world.
Humble Beginnings
Frederick August Otto Schwarz, namesake of the
world famous toy chain, founded the business
in 1862, just six years after he arrived in
America from Westphalia, Germany.
He operated his shop in Baltimore, Maryland
until 1870 when he moved to New York to open
the Schwarz Toy Bazaar on Broadway. With the
help of his three brothers who were in
constant touch with Europe's finest toy
sources, his business prospered. In 1880, he
moved to larger quarters in New York's Union
Square, which was then the fashionable
shopping center housing such stores as Tiffany
and other leading merchants.
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