Shopping News
American doll store relocates flagship from one Dallas mall to another
American Girl doll, now out of print, probably worth big money.
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.
