For most children, imagination and curiosity represent skills to nurture. For most adults, they tend to be discarded and ignored. But these traits actually are innate to all humans, and accordingly, if given the chance, adults will embrace childlike pursuits, activities, and hobbies and seek a sense of wonder in the world. We might observe such behaviors in the growing popularity of pickleball for example. But engaging consumers in fun is not limited to the courts. Immersive retail experiences can provide ideal environments to encourage people to embrace their inner child, with the support of their adult-sized wallets. For example, Build-A-Bear’s products have long promised emotional connections with children, who can develop personal relationships with the stuffed animals they help build and track throughout their production processes. By the time the toy is ready to come home, customers have moved through the entire store, engaged with various products available for sale, and made decisions about what features will be included in their new fuzzy friend. The process establishes a strong sense of wonder but also a feeling of ownership.

To extend this appealing outcome to adult consumers though, the retailer recognized it needed to make it seem acceptable for grown-ups to want to a stuffed animal. Therefore, it embraced a collectible positioning and partnered with existing collectible offerings, such as the Star Wars and Deadpool franchises. In stores or through age-specific websites, adults can build their own Harry Potter and Friends characters, personalized to reflect their favorite versions and costumes. Given the chance to expand their existing collections dedicated to such fandoms, teens and adults have increased their patronage of the retailer’s offerings, such that they now account for an estimated 40 percent of sales.

The approach adopted by Build-A-Bear seemingly reflects an assumption that adults need a nudge or justification to embrace playfulness and childlike toys. The Jellycat Diner at FAO Schwarz rejects this assumption; it builds on the idea that adults (especially Millennial and Gen Z consumers) need no prompting to embrace a retail experience that gives them a way to escape reality and play for a while. The diner, which has gone vastly viral since opening in September 2024, is actually a pop-up shop within FAO Schwarz’s New York flagship store. Dedicated Jellycat workers, uniformed in aprons and caps, pick, flip, and wrap up plush stuffies that take the shape of various diner foods. They mimic the sounds of foods cooking to make their “preparation” of the stuffies appear more realistic and to establish a completely immersive atmosphere. Fans line up around the block to wait their turn to interact with the employees, play with the stuffies, make memories of the experience, and then bring their stuffed burger, fries, or milkshake home.

As FAO Schwarz’s chief merchandising manager put it, “we inspire awe and wonder with one-of-a-kind experiences…. And now we’re bringing the classic New York City diner to our store, inviting guests to literally play with their food at the Jellycat Diner!” The underlying notion—giving people permission to play, whether with food or stuffed animals—is part of the driver of this expanding trend of using retail as a form of escapism from increasingly stressful adult lives, as well as a way to recapture childhood joy. In addition to the joy it brings, it means a new source of profits for retailers that create spaces for adults to play.

Discussion Questions

1. Which types of stores can benefit most from establishing immersive, playful retail experiences? Which generally cannot?
2. Consider an ideal layout for an experiential retail store. How can different design elements add to the tangible, sensory experience for customers?

Sources: Daysia Tolentino, “Adults Just Want to Have Fun: Why People Are Seeking Refuge in Toys and Experiences Again,” NBC News, February 2, 2024; Kate Hardcastle, “The Rise of Onomatoplay Retail: How Bringing Play to Life Is a Winner,” Forbes, October 14, 2024; Pauleanna Reid, “How Sharon Price John Took Build-A-Bear from Imploding Profitability to Record Results,” Forbes, December 23, 2024