American Girl brings new in-store experiences to flagships

Owners of sick dolls in New York and Chicago have a new treatment option.

American Girl is introducing new retail experiences at its New York City and Chicago flagship stores, including a doll hospital in both locations. The hospitals offer a variety of free services, including a doll wellness exam with a specially-trained “doll doctor” who checks the pulse, temperature, and reflexes of each “patient.”

They also feature free interactive play stations, where girls can perform doll eye exams, take doll-sized x-rays, and give a dental checkup. A complementary certificate of good health is given to doll owners after each visit, along with wellness tips to help girls care for their dolls at home. On-site doctors can schedule appointments for more extensive doll repairs.

The New York flagship will also feature “Julie’s Groovy World,” an immersive experience designed around the 1970s-themed Julie Albright American Girl doll. It features a 1970s-inspired living area, including features such as a rotary phone, beaded curtains, egg chair, Pop-A-Shot basketball game, and full-size 1970s-era Volkswagen Beetle for selfies.

Meanwhile, the Chicago flagship is featuring a newly-renovated salon where girls and their dolls can get matching hairstyles, mini-manicures, and ear-piercing. The salon, which also has a sophisticated new look, includes four girl hair stations, 12 doll hair stations, four girl manicure stations, and one nail drying station. The salon is equipped with a full ear-piercing suite for girls and dolls. Customers can make salon reservations in advance or day-of, and special packages are available with options for personalization. The salon services for girls are also currently available in the New York store.

“For more than 20 years, since we opened our first American Girl flagship store, we’ve been creating engaging, interactive retail experiences for kids and their families,” said Jamie Cygielman, GM of American Girl. “These experiences are a key part of what connects American Girl doll owners with the brand, and the new doll hospitals, salon and Julie’s Groovy World take that to the next level.”