WPBN: Since 2014, American Girl has had a strong presence in South Park Mall, drawing young customers who come for tea and parties in addition to purchasing dolls from the extensive assortment.
This Christmas, children will have their last opportunity to spend their holiday money in person on their favorite characters, and present shoppers will have their last chance to buy goods from their neighborhood store in North Carolina.
Fans will have to go to Nashville, Tennessee, or Washington, DC, to visit their closest store after it permanently shutters in February of next year.
Last Chance
In 2014, the 12,000 square foot Charlotte store opened in the South Park Mall’s Macy’s wing. On February 17 of the next year, it will shut down. “Thank you, Charlotte,” reads a remark on the American Girl website. You will be missed!
Fans on Facebook have responded to the news with sadness.
One person stated, “We have to go one last time.” Another said only, “Oh my!”
The power of girls
There used to be branches of American Doll stores all throughout the US, but this most recent closure has reduced the number to seven.
The company was founded in 1986 by Pleasant T. Rowland, a businesswoman, and is currently owned by Mattel. Her initial line of products, The American Girls Collection, featured historical dolls that depicted girls from various eras of US history.
Every figure in the collection is also included in a number of books that go into the various historical periods.
With historical dolls that reflected the many periods of US history, Rowland’s goal was to combine education and pleasure via aspirational figures.
When the first American Girl store debuted in Chicago in 1998, it offered much more than simply toys; it also hosted events, activities, and salon services for young fans and their dolls.
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In the same year, Mattel acquired the business, and at one point, there were eighteen American Doll stores nationwide.
