Female tweens are the hot new demographic. Just ask Miley Cyrus, the folks behind “High School Musical” and American Girl. Featuring dozens of historically based, fictional characters, the American Girl books and the dolls that accompany them tell the stories of girls who overcame obstacles, showed courage and shaped the world around them — while getting into plenty of mischief and fun along the way.
During holidays and weekends, nearly every inch of the 43,000-square-foot American Girl Place in Midtown Manhattan overflows with preteen girls and their parents. On some days, lines snake around the block of the bright and cheery establishment.
Young ladies, both coming and going, clutch their favorite American Girl dolls in their arms — like the blue-eyed Kit doll, who inspired American Girl’s first major motion picture, “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.”
But American Girl Place isn’t just about buying a doll; it’s an unparalleled experience. There are a plethora of American Girl accessories for sale, including shoes, jackets and earrings, for both the dolls and their owners. Girls can also take their best doll friends to the Doll Hair Salon for a new ’do, and there’s an American Girl bookstore, which is filled with advice, activities and, of course, books.
As far as Manhattan hot spots go, American Girl Café, which serves up brunch, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, is right up there with the Big Apple’s trendy Balthazar Restaurant. Make reservations weeks, if not months in advance to secure a table for your daughter and her doll. Girls marking a birthday are commonplace at the café, which offers tasty sandwiches and yummy deserts named for the popular dolls. Don’t miss the warm cinnamon rolls.
Many visitors cap their trip to American Girl Place with a visit to the Photo Studio to get a souvenir shot on the cover of American Girl magazine with their precious doll pal.
The cover image is cute, but it’s unlikely she’ll forget her experience, even if she leaves without the tangible reminder.