Welcome to our world of…eyewear? In the future, America’s oldest toy chain may have to amend its signature jingle to include this and other product categories it has not traditionally been associated with.
Recently, FAO Schwarz announced it was branching out into kids lifestyle licensing and would initially focus on signing companies to produce FAO branded children’s eyewear. The chain is also considering licensing companies to create FAO furniture, rockers, footwear and children’s apparel.
‘We’re trying to establish the FAO brand beyond that of a toy store,’ says company spokesperson Alan Marcus of FAO’s move into the licensing realm.
The brand extensions are part of a larger identity nip-and-tuck FAO has undertaken in the last year, which reportedly will see it test out a redesigned Rocking Horse logo, new look in-store wall mounts, packaging, shopping bags and catalogs. As part of that effort, FAO has also changed its tag line from ‘We’re serious about play’ to ‘Wish Big.’
Though at KidScreen press time it had yet to sign any agreements, FAO expects to unveil the glasses in its 42 stores within the next year. The FAO specs, which will be available as both prescription glasses and sunglasses, will come in six styles for boys and girls.