American Girl releases details about St. Louis store

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Kelsey Volkmann, Web Editor - St. Louis Business Journal


It's official: Addy, Kit and Molly are moving to Chesterfield.

Doll company American Girl officially announced today that it will open its first Missouri store at Chesterfield Mall in spring 2012.

The Business Journal reported last month that the Middleton, Wis.-based company submitted plans to take over a 10,800-square-foot space in Chesterfield Mall, and that Chesterfield's Planning Commission unanimously approved architectural plans.

The store will sell the company's historical and contemporary dolls, along with doll outfits, accessories, girl-sized clothing and a variety of American Girl books. The store also will have a 22-seat bistro for birthday parties, a doll hair salon and a studio for designing doll-sized T-shirts.

Stephanie Spanos, an American Girl spokeswoman, declined to release a store cost estimate but said the company's total sales reached $487 million in 2010.

American Girl is very selective when choosing retail locations, said Howard Grody, senior vice president of leasing for CBL & Associates Properties Inc., which owns Chesterfield Mall. Wade Opland, American Girl's vice president of retail, said the mall's mix of upscale retail and restaurants fit with his company's brand.

American Girl, a division of Mattel Inc., has stores in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City (Overland Park, Kan.), Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

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