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American doll store relocates flagship from one Dallas mall to another

American Girl doll, now out of print, probably worth big money.

Photo by Joel Luks

A doll store is moving from one Dallas mall to another, but this is American Girl, the doll store-combination-restaurant-combination-kiddie-salon chain, and it's the store's only location in Dallas, as well as the only location in Texas, as well as one of a limited number of stores across the U.S. Thus this story.

The store is departing its current location at Galleria Dallas and relocating to The Shops at Park Lane where it will establish a new flagship in a two-story space between Nordstrom Rack and opposite HomeGoods. According to a release, it will open in early 2024.

In addition to carrying American Girl dolls, the new store will feature a full-service restaurant, personal shopping, and both doll and girl hairstyling, manicures, and ear piercing at the Dolled Up Salon.

The Dallas store originally opened at the Galleria in November 2007.

Headquartered in Wisconsin, the chain was founded in 1986 and became a subsidiary of Mattel in 1998. Their website says they have 12 retail stores plus a digital site where their $100-and-up dolls are sold, but their retail site shows nine U.S. locations in cities such as Chicago, Orlando, Nashville, and Los Angeles, and no stand-alone locations in Canada.

A story on Patch puts the number at 10 outlets in the U.S. and six in Canada, with a few permanent closures that occurred during the pandemic. American Girl did not respond to an inquiry for comment.

The company professes that its mission is to build girls of strong character and help them reach their full potential, but a story on Money.com notes that the company's practice of selling dolls in limited quantities means that they can be worth "big money," especially on sites like Amazon and eBay, where "some American Girl doll sellers can really rake in cash."

Dolls start at $98 and if you choose the popular customization option, where you can create a doll in your own image, it's $220, plus the additional cost of buying your own matching outfit, ranging from $60 to $135.

openings

Fashion on display

Rare Halston fashion exhibition now on display in unlikely Texas city

Halston: Inventing American Fashion exhibit Ellen Noël Art Museum

Photo courtesy of Ellen Noël Art Museum

An colorful eveningwear grouping takes advantage of Ellen Noël Art Museum's curved walls.

A rare exhibition honoring fashion pioneer Halston has popped up in an unexpected place: West Texas. Dallas fashionistas who are fans of the designer can make a five-hour pilgrimage to Odessa’s newly revamped Ellen Noël Art Museum to view "Halston: Inventing American Fashion."

Halston’s minimalistic fashions are rarely the subjects of retrospectives, although the designer’s dramatic life story recently had a pop-cultural resurgence through a 2021 Ryan Murphy miniseries. "Halston: Inventing American Fashion" assesses the talent that made him a household name.

Known now for outfitting 1970s icons like Liza Minelli and Bianca Jagger, Halston changed the international reputation of American sportswear as part of the famous 1973 “Battle of Versailles” fashion show, holding his own against Paris’ most lauded couturiers. His uniquely louche style still influences contemporary brands like Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen, and Tom Ford, who was briefly the creative director for a revised Halston label.

The mannequins in the Odessa display are outfitted with 75 ensembles from flowing Ultrasuede daywear to more dramatic draped gowns. The pieces “illustrate how Halston revolutionized fashion by prioritizing comfort, confidence, and modern femininity,” according to a release.

Although Odessa may seem an odd choice for the show, Halston had deep Texas connections. After he moved on from hat making, Amarillo millionaire Estelle Marsh was his sole backer willing to fund his first Madison Avenue boutique.

$Ellen No\u00ebl Art Museum, Odessa, new facade.$ The new facade at Ellen Noël Art MuseumPhoto courtesy of Ellen Noël Art Museum

$Halston: Inventing American Fashion exhibit Ellen No\u00ebl Art Museum$

Photo courtesy of Ellen Noël Art Museum

An colorful eveningwear grouping takes advantage of Ellen Noël Art Museum's curved walls.

And the recently completed renovation of Odessa's Ellen Noël Art Museum has some of the designer’s signature sleek. Designed by architect R.J. Lopez, the renovation includes new galleries and improved circulation, but the centerpiece is a striking transparent façade, replacing the original brick of the 1985 building.

“The renovation project has been over 10 years in the making and in the construction phase for the past two years,” says the museum’s buildings manager, Steve Patton, via a release. “The completion of the project has resulted in an incredible facility that is a shining star in West Texas, offering programs and exhibits that will be a destination point for people all over the world!”

"Halston: Inventing American Fashion" will run through March 22. Admission to the Ellen Noël Art Museum is free.

exhibits odessa fashion west texas museums designer texas