As a matter of fact, the Manhattan F.A.O. Schwarz store closed its doors on July 15, just two days after our visit. F.A.O. Schwarz has had a store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan for over 100 years (21 years at 303 Fifth Avenue, 55 years at 735 Fifth Avenue and 31 years across the street at 767 Fifth Avenue). The location has become a beloved stop for me and my family over the last few decades--made even more appealing to my growing boys with the arrival of the Apple Store as a next-door neighbor in 2006.
My eldest son, my mom and I all went to pay the store our last respects. I'll share a little bit of that visit with you, and I'll also review the two dolls that my mom bought for me while we were there. Even before we arrived at the store, I knew which dolls I was hoping to find: the customizable 9.5-inch Doll Factory girls by Madame Alexander. I have been eyeing these cuties for years and, as far as I know, they were only available at the F.A.O. Schwarz brick-and-mortar store. This means that the dolls are--temporarily--no longer available. Much to my relief, even though most of the doll brands were sold out by the time we arrived, the Doll Factory was still functional...kind of, and the smaller dolls were on sale for around $20.
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| 9.5-inch Madame Alexander Doll Factory doll from F.A.O. Schwarz. |
