FAO Schwarz is to open a second store in Italy.

American toy store chain FAO Schwarz is preparing to open at Rome's central Termini train station, four years after the company launched in Italy with an outlet in Milan.

The arrival of FAO Schwarz in Rome, in partnership with the PRG Retail Group, comes after the US toy store launched in Paris last year.

Termini has welcomed numerous high-profile international brands in recent years, from Starbucks to Uniqlo, and is already home to two stores aimed at children: Legami and Città del Sole.

Founded in 1862, FAO Schwarz is the oldest toy retailer in the US and is known for its high-end toys, life-sized stuffed animals and interactive experiences.

Its historic New York store featured in the 1988 movie Big in the keyboard-dance scene with Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia.

Last year another famed toy retailer - Hamleys of London - opened a flagship store at the Galleria Alberto Sordi shopping mall in the centre of Rome.

Photo credit: DCStockPhotography / Shutterstock.com.