Largest ‘Sesame Street’ store in the country to open in Bucks County

Big Bird fans are getting a new place to shop for Sesame Street merchandise.

Sesame Place, the Bucks County theme park designed around the children’s television show, is opening the country’s largest Sesame Street store this fall outside the entrance.

The shop will become the major retail location for the theme park, which already offers “the widest variety of Sesame Street-themed plush for sale in the world,” according to a press release.

Patrons are already able to buy merchandise inside Sesame Place at several locations, including Sesame Souvenirs, Mr. Hooper’s Gift Shop, and Oscar’s Garage.

Beyond the theme park, merchandise from the show is for sale online.

“When navigating this ‘new normal’ we find ourselves in post-pandemic, we are seeing trends shift — people want experiences, and that’s what the Sesame Place Store is,” said a spokesperson for Sesame Place Philadelphia via email.

The 6,800-square-foot store will be located on the entrance plaza at Sesame Place, so shoppers can access it without paying for a day pass. A regular full-price ticket to enter Sesame Place costs $99.99.

The park, which opened in 1980, employs up to 1,500 staff members per season. Attractions include Elmo’s Surf ‘n’ Slide, Big Bird’s Tour Bus, and Oscar’s Wacky Taxi roller coaster. Sesame Street characters roam through the park to meet patrons.

A second Sesame Place location opened in San Diego last year. The parks are part of the SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment portfolio, which also includes SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Discovery Cove.

Sesame Place Philadelphia came under fire last year, when a costumed character allegedly refused to high-five two Black girls at the park during a parade. The park initially alleged that the employee inside the costume was waiving off someone else who was asking them to carry their child, which is not permitted.

In a similar incident, another family alleged that their Black child was ignored during a meet and greet with characters from the show and filed a lawsuit against the theme park.

In light of the incidents, Sesame Place issued apologies, adopted diversity and inclusion training for staff members, and said it would undergo a “racial equity assessment.”