Oct 3, 2008 11:04 pm US/Eastern
No Signs Of Recession At American Girl Place
$90 Dolls Still Selling As Economy Shrinks
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
In these tough economic times, a lot of businesses are in trouble, but one attraction is bigger and better than ever. The American Girl Place, a destination retailer in many American cities, draws shoppers from around the world.
CBS station WBBM-TV followed the parade of red bags and young girls hugging dolls along Michigan Avenue to American Girl Place's new location, a 52,000-square-foot, two-story superstore.
The really big dollhouse employs some 230 workers and features a doll hair salon. It's right next to the doll hospital, and steps away from a Pretty in Pink restaurant where young ladies dine with their miniature best friends.
The heart of the concept is the American Girl books, starting at $6. Telling the stories of young girls in history, they're sold as companions to matching $90 dolls. Sales for the entire line of accessories totaled $431 million last year in spite of a shrinking economy.
"Usually in tough times toy businesses do very well because this is a feel-good business," said Wade Opland, Vice President of Retail for American Girl.
Madilynn Stern of Elmhurst has seven or eight of the dolls, and said she saves up money to buy them, and gets a little help from family.
It's the message of girl power combined with education that has parents coming in for more.
"You're spending money and you're getting history about it too," Anne Stern said.
One and a half million people visit Chicago's American Girl Place each year, parting with cash just to hear their living dolls say something like this comment, from Madilynn, "They give you a look in the past and so it's kind of like getting your own best friend you can tell anything to."
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
