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American Girl Place
111 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
1-877-AG PLACE
(American Girl Place in Chicago Website)
Susan Weinrebe, Guest Contributor
December 22, 2004 Is it too corny to think that girl-centered entertainment can be wholesome, educational, and also fun? Not if you visit American Girl Place, one of only two stores in the U.S.A (the other is in NYC). It caters to girls and their families who are interested in history, promoting strong qualities in females, and of course, owning an American Girl doll.
Pleasant Rowland, the founder of American Girl, envisioned dolls to represent periods of history, several ethnic groups, and high character. Selecting only one is a terrible choice. There’s a Scandinavian immigrant, one from the Revolutionary Period, an emancipated slave, a Native American, another doll from the Victorian period, one from the Depression, and so on. Each of the dolls has its own set of books with adventures that turn out for the best, a full wardrobe of clothes, accessories, and companion animals. And the persona of each doll copes with weighty problems without ever compromising her high standards or resorting to smart alecky comments! One not only wants a doll, one wants to be the doll!
The store is a place of pilgrimage for folks in the hinterlands (anywhere other than Chicago or New York). Blocks before reaching AGP, the distinctive red bags lead like a trail back to the store. Set on some of the most prime Michigan Avenue real estate, it is flanked by Ralph Lauren and….Well, I can’t think what other store was there because one simply doesn’t get past American Girl Place.
Huge American flags wave as a great-coated doorman clears the way for doll-carrying girls and their adults as they enter a realm of bliss. There is a concierge to ensure that visitors will have all their needs met, and coat checking is complimentary. These and other amenities such as plentiful floorwalkers to assist visitors impart a gracious atmosphere.
Reservations at the Café are a must. Seven seatings allow a choice of brunch, lunch, tea, or dinner, and each fixed-price meal, about $18, allows selections of entrees and beverages. Warm cinnamon buns, fresh fruit kabobs, vegetables and dips, and a Chocolate Mousse Flowerpot come with the meal. The portions are delicious and ample. This is no pippy poo ladies’ luncheon! Dolls are given their own clip on seats and everyone receives a ponytail holder in the black and white motif of the décor. With pink-flowered lights hanging over tables, the black and white stripes on the walls and layered white cutout frames on huge mirrors, I felt as though I’d fallen into a bandbox. To help keep conversations going there is a decorated container of open-ended questions that assist girls in self-expression and social conversation. And what was the most memorable winter experience you have ever had?
Don’t miss the musical, Circle of Friends. The theater is small and semi-circular, and all the seats are good. The plot centers on a group of girls resolving problems. Interwoven with a sleep over set in the present, the motif of a friendship quilt introduces flashes back to some of the American Girl dolls’ stories Costumes are clever and quickly transformed. A three-piece combo accompanies the girls with respectful flair, clicking the tempo along as the girls sing and dance through more than a dozen numbers. Three adult actors play all the grown-up roles and give smashing presentations through all their character changes. Expect to rise and join the cast to sing the show’s theme for the happy ending.
After lunch and a show there’s still more to do. Shopping can match a girl with her doll in many similar outfits. American girls are active and involved and have the clothes to fit any occasion. They ride horses, play musical instruments, skate, ski, do gymnastics, hike, camp, deal with their disabilities (there’s a little wheelchair), and lead a very full life.
Restyling a doll’s hair can be done while you wait, and that’s another show in itself. Beauty operators will fix a doll’s hair (If you’ve ever seen what children do to a doll’s hair you’ll understand this necessity.) as the doll is draped and seat-belted into a little salon chair. This draws quite a crowd.
A child may choose gifts for parties, have her picture taken at the photo studio, select any number of how-to books such as baby-sit, be a friend, maintain hygiene, or plan a party. There are also volumes of engaging historically accurate information to dovetail with a particular doll’s place in America; these found in a setting that encourages browsing. A mini-museum on the lower level uses antiques to display vignettes from periods in America. A reading circle, cooking class, and visit with an author were among special events for the season.
Whew! Despite the holiday crush and a really poor traffic flow pattern around the escalator, cloakroom, and Café, I didn’t hear one whining child or ill-tempered adult. In fact, just as Ms. Rowland envisioned, the whole experience hearkened back to more gently mannered days when a child could be taken on a special outing she would remember forever. It was that pleasant!
American Girl Place, Chicago, Facade
Photo courtesy of American Girl
American Girl Place, Chicago, Circle of Friends Show
Photo courtesy of American Girl
American Girl Place, Chicago, Cafe
Photo courtesy of American Girl
Jessie and Her Dolls with Ricky the Doorman at American Girl Place in Chicago.
Photo courtesy of Susan Weinrebe
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