American Girl Place
American Girl Place is a bit of a phenomena in New York. The store, on the corner of 5th Ave and 49th Streets, is three levels of dolls, doll clothes and accessories, matching girl clothes and accessories, books, a doll hair salon, a doll hospital and a cafe (for both real people and their dolls).
The company started when a lady wanted to buy a “girl” doll as opposed to a baby doll or a teen doll for some young girls, finding nothing on the market, she manufactured them herself. The original range are historical figures, each one a nine year old girl from a particular period in American history – they come dressed in period clothing and with a story book. The Impossible Princess bought Elizabeth, an American Revolution doll.
The company was bought by Mattel, and there is now also a range called “Just Like You Dolls” – 25 dolls each with slightly different faces, hair, eye and skin colour. The idea is girls choose the doll closest in appearance to themselves.
There’s also a “girl of the year” – a limited (yeah, right) edition doll available only for that year. In 2008, it was Mia…who was coincidentally the closest match to Queenie so she bought her.
Queenie booked her doll into the salon to get her ears pierced. Dolls can also get new hairstyles.
The whole complex is a surefire way for parents to lighten their wallets.
