Feature Photo: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com
If there is one place on this earth I would call truly magical, it is the toy store. Here is the thing about that magic: it never belonged to the kids alone. It belonged to the grownups too.
Every one of us remembers the ritual. You tore down the aisles, mashed every button you could reach, drank in all the noise and lights, and finally settled on the one toy you were going to campaign for with everything you had. If you have ever been on the other side of that experience as a parent, you know the second half of the joy, which is watching your own child do it and then actually buying the thing.
That is the part the online world has quietly taken from us. I will be honest, ordering a toy from Amazon gets the job done, but tell me where the fun is in it. There is none. Zero.
For those of us who remember the toy stores as kids and then came back years later on the flip side as the parent, the aunt, the uncle, or just the family friend, nothing online will ever replace the real thing. Picking out the toy, carrying it up to the register, and not being able to wait until you got home to rip it open and play with it was the whole experience.
Sadly, many of the great ones are gone now. A few beloved survivors are still standing, some of them reinvented for a new generation, and this article celebrates both. Here are ten of the most iconic toy stores in New York City history, their stories, and where you can still find their legacy today.
1. FAO Schwarz
Established: 1862 in Baltimore; 1870 in New York City
Famous New York locations: 745 Fifth Avenue, 767 Fifth Avenue, and 30 Rockefeller Plaza
Claim to fame: The grandfather of American toy stores
Founded by German immigrant Frederick August Otto Schwarz, FAO Schwarz began in Baltimore in 1862 and established its New York City presence in 1870. The store moved to 745 Fifth Avenue in 1931, where it remained for 55 years, before crossing 58th Street to the General Motors Building at 767 Fifth Avenue in 1986.
The General Motors Building flagship grew into a genuine cultural landmark, the kind of place families made a special trip to see whether or not they bought a thing. More than any single toy, it was a movie moment that sealed the store’s fame. Who could forget Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia tapping out “Heart and Soul” on the giant floor piano in the 1988 film Big? Between the elaborate window displays, the clock tower, the toy soldiers at the door, and the plush animals stacked toward the ceiling, FAO Schwarz defined the idea of childhood luxury for decades.
After the Fifth Avenue flagship closed in 2015, many feared the New York institution was gone for good. Instead, FAO Schwarz returned in 2018 with a flagship at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The dancing piano, clock tower, toy soldiers, and theatrical shopping experience all came back with it. In 2026, the brand added another New York City presence inside Nordstrom’s West 57th Street flagship.
Status today: Open at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, with an additional shop inside Nordstrom’s New York City flagship.
2. Toys “R” Us Times Square
Location: 1514 Broadway, between West 44th and West 45th Streets
Active years: 2001 to 2015
Claim to fame: A 110,000-square-foot retail spectacle
When Toys “R” Us opened its international flagship in the heart of Times Square in November 2001, plenty of people called it the most spectacular toy store ever built. Spanning 110,000 square feet across four levels, it worked less like a shop and more like an indoor theme park.
You could ride a 60-foot indoor Ferris wheel with toy-themed cars, stand beneath a roaring animatronic Tyrannosaurus rex, wander through a life-size Barbie dreamhouse, or crane your neck at enormous LEGO versions of New York landmarks. For a kid, walking through those doors felt like a field trip.
Soaring Manhattan rents finally caught up with the flagship, and the store closed on December 30, 2015. The Times Square spectacle is gone, but the Toys “R” Us name remains part of New York retail through the toy department on the seventh floor of Macy’s Herald Square.
Status today: The Times Square store is closed; Toys “R” Us operates inside Macy’s Herald Square.
3. Warner Bros. Studio Store
Location: 1 East 57th Street, at Fifth Avenue
Active years: 1993 to 2001
Claim to fame: A 1990s pop-culture playground built around Looney Tunes and DC Comics
During the themed-retail craze of the 1990s, the Warner Bros. Studio Store at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue became a must-visit stop for families. The store blended classic Looney Tunes nostalgia, DC Comics superheroes, and merchandise tied to the studio’s films and television shows.
The details were half the fun. One of the store’s signature sights was a glass elevator that appeared to be lifted by Superman. Elaborate character displays and immersive attractions turned a shopping trip into a Warner Bros. production, which was exactly the point.
The Fifth Avenue flagship closed in February 2001 as AOL Time Warner moved away from operating the retail chain. By the end of that year, the company’s remaining United States Studio Stores had also closed.
Status today: Closed.
4. The World of Disney and Disney Store
Locations: 711 Fifth Avenue and 1540 Broadway
New York City era: 1996 to the present
Claim to fame: Disney spectacle in the middle of Manhattan
Disney opened its Fifth Avenue flagship in 1996 at 711 Fifth Avenue. The location later became the World of Disney, bringing the atmosphere of a theme-park shop to Midtown with large character displays, themed rooms, murals, collectibles, clothing, and toys.
The Fifth Avenue store closed in January 2010, but Disney returned to Manhattan retail later that year. The Disney Store opened at 1540 Broadway in Times Square in November 2010, where it continues to operate.
The current store keeps the experience theatrical, with a towering princess castle, large character displays, New York-themed merchandise, and two levels designed to make shopping feel like part of a Disney attraction.
Status today: Open at 1540 Broadway in Times Square.
5. Nintendo New York
Location: 10 Rockefeller Plaza
Active years: 2001 to the present
Claim to fame: New York City’s flagship destination for Nintendo fans
The store opened in 2001 as the Pokémon Center New York, arriving when Pokémon had become one of the biggest entertainment crazes in the world. It was transformed into Nintendo World in 2005 and took on its current name, Nintendo New York, in 2016.
Spread across two levels, the store serves as a gathering place for gaming fans as much as a retail outlet. Visitors come for Nintendo systems, games, exclusive merchandise, character statues, launch events, hands-on play, and display cases that trace the company’s hardware history.
Status today: Open at 10 Rockefeller Plaza.
6. LEGO Store Fifth Avenue
Location: 636 Fifth Avenue, near West 51st Street
Active years: 2021 to the present
Claim to fame: An interactive flagship built around the possibilities of the LEGO brick
LEGO had operated a popular Rockefeller Center store for years, but in June 2021 the company raised the stakes with a two-story flagship at 636 Fifth Avenue. The 7,175-square-foot location was designed as an interactive destination rather than a simple shop.
At the center of the store stands the Tree of Discovery, an enormous model made from more than 880,000 LEGO elements. Visitors can also personalize figures in the Minifigure Factory, explore hands-on digital experiences, and study large brick-built displays inspired by New York City and the LEGO universe.
Status today: Open at 636 Fifth Avenue.
7. Mary Arnold Toys
Location: 1178 Lexington Avenue, between East 80th and East 81st Streets
Established: 1931
Claim to fame: New York City’s oldest continuously operating toy store
While the mega-stores grab the headlines, the small independent shop holds a cherished place in neighborhood life, and Mary Arnold Toys is the dean of them all. FAO Schwarz is older as a brand, but it disappeared from New York for several years, while Mary Arnold Toys kept serving families.
Founded in 1931, the Upper East Side shop has weathered the Great Depression, the Second World War, decades of rent increases, changing play habits, and the full force of online competition. It moved from its longtime address near East 73rd Street to its current home in 2016.
Mary Arnold Toys remains known for personal service, free gift wrapping, neighborhood delivery, classic playthings, and a staff that can still guide a shopper toward the right gift. That kind of attention is exactly what an algorithm cannot offer.
Status today: Open at 1178 Lexington Avenue.
8. Kidding Around
Location: 60 West 15th Street
Established: 1989
Claim to fame: A beloved independent store built around imaginative play
Kidding Around has been part of New York City’s toy-store landscape since 1989. The family-owned Chelsea shop has grown from a small storefront into a neighborhood institution while maintaining the hand-picked feeling that separates an independent toy store from a warehouse.
Its shelves are filled with wooden trains, board games, puzzles, arts and crafts supplies, dolls, construction sets, science kits, and toys from around the world. The selection has changed with the times, but the emphasis remains on play that encourages creativity, learning, and families spending time together.
Status today: Open at 60 West 15th Street in Chelsea.
9. American Girl Place
Locations: 609 Fifth Avenue and 75 Rockefeller Plaza
New York City era: 2003 to the present
Claim to fame: The immersive doll-shopping experience
When American Girl Place opened on Fifth Avenue in 2003, it helped establish a new category of experiential retail. The brand, created in 1986 by Pleasant Rowland around historical dolls and companion books, drew families from around the world, many arriving with a favorite doll already in hand.
The experience was the whole point. The salon styles dolls’ hair, the café seats dolls beside their owners, and the Care Center receives dolls that need repairs. Shopping for clothing, furniture, books, and accessories becomes part of a full family outing.
In November 2017, American Girl Place moved from Fifth Avenue to a two-level flagship at 75 Rockefeller Plaza, where it remains today.
Status today: Open at 75 Rockefeller Plaza.
10. Toy Tokyo
lev radin / Shutterstock.com
Location: 91 Second Avenue, between East 5th and East 6th Streets
Established: 2000
Claim to fame: Japanese imports, designer toys, vintage collectibles, and hard-to-find figures
Toy Tokyo represents a different side of New York toy-store history. It does not rely on a giant piano, Ferris wheel, or princess castle. Its magic comes from discovery. Since opening in the East Village in 2000, the shop has built a reputation around Japanese toys, rare figures, vintage pieces, urban vinyl, character collectibles, art toys, prints, and items that can be difficult to find anywhere else.
Collectors come looking for brands and artists such as Funko, KAWS, Ron English, and an ever-changing selection of imported and limited-edition pieces. The store’s dense displays reward the kind of slow browsing that online shopping rarely provides.
Status today: Open at 91 Second Avenue in the East Village.
Classic NYC Retail History Fact
The giant walking piano that made FAO Schwarz world famous was no movie prop. It was a real pressure-sensitive floor keyboard that shoppers could play. When the 1988 film Big put Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia on top of it to perform “Heart and Soul,” the scene turned an already beloved toy store into a permanent piece of pop culture. A dancing floor piano remains one of the signature attractions at the Rockefeller Center store.
10 Iconic NYC Toy Stores at a Glance
| Number | Store | New York City era | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAO Schwarz | 1870 to 2015; 2018 to present | Open at Rockefeller Center and inside Nordstrom NYC |
| 2 | Toys “R” Us Times Square | 2001 to 2015 | Times Square flagship closed; brand operates inside Macy’s Herald Square |
| 3 | Warner Bros. Studio Store | 1993 to 2001 | Closed |
| 4 | The World of Disney and Disney Store | 1996 to present | Open in Times Square |
| 5 | Nintendo New York | 2001 to present | Open |
| 6 | LEGO Store Fifth Avenue | 2021 to present | Open |
| 7 | Mary Arnold Toys | 1931 to present | Open |
| 8 | Kidding Around | 1989 to present | Open |
| 9 | American Girl Place | 2003 to present | Open |
| 10 | Toy Tokyo | 2000 to present | Open |
Iconic NYC Toy Destinations Still Open Today
| Store | Location | Best known for |
|---|---|---|
| FAO Schwarz | 30 Rockefeller Plaza | Giant piano, toy soldiers, and nostalgia |
| Disney Store | 1540 Broadway | Disney characters and Times Square spectacle |
| Nintendo New York | 10 Rockefeller Plaza | Games, exclusive merchandise, and character displays |
| LEGO Store Fifth Avenue | 636 Fifth Avenue | Large models and personalized minifigures |
| Mary Arnold Toys | 1178 Lexington Avenue | Historic neighborhood service and gift wrapping |
| Kidding Around | 60 West 15th Street | Independent toys, games, and imaginative play |
| American Girl Place | 75 Rockefeller Plaza | Doll salon, café, and Care Center |
| Toy Tokyo | 91 Second Avenue | Japanese imports and designer collectibles |
| Toys “R” Us at Macy’s | 151 West 34th Street | The surviving New York presence of the famous toy brand |
More New York City Retail History
Readers interested in the stores and neighborhoods connected to these toy destinations can also explore our history of Macy’s Department Store in Herald Square, our history of Rockefeller Center, our history of Times Square, and our look at the 10 most famous department stores in New York City history.
10 Iconic Toy Stores in NYC History article published on ClassicNewYorkHistory.com © 2026
