American Girls Take Manhattan

The new American Girl Place in New York City on Fifth Avenue at 49th Street.

New York caught up with Chicago on November 8, when the world's second American Girl Place opened in New York City, joining the five-year-old Chicago store. The 43,000-square-foot space, located at 609 Fifth Avenue at 49th Street, offers three full floors of dolls, clothes, accessories, and displays. All of the current American Girl product lines are represented, from the original historic collection to the most contemporary accoutrements for the stylish metropolitan 'tween girl and her doll.

A mother, daughter, and doll enjoy tea at the American Girl Café (above). A scene from The American Girls Revue (below) featuring "Addy."

American Girl Place provides an entertainment experience including a Doll Hair Salon, with multiple chairs and considerable waiting for a stylist to update or refashion a doll's do; a 130-seat theater which will present The American Girls Revue, an original live musical featuring eight girls and four adults in an upbeat one-hour production; and the 140-seat American Girl Café with additional private dining area. Brunch, lunch, and dinner prix fixe menus are served, and the décor and food presentation is engineered to charm. Girls are encouraged to bring their dolls; special seats are available and the doll is given a tiny place setting, which is also for sale. Dolls are available on temporary loan during the meal if the child neglected to bring her own or has not yet purchased one. Both the café and the show require ticketing far in advance.

All books published by Pleasant Company, creator of the American Girl brand, are available at American Girl Place, including the Amelia books, History Mysteries, AG Fiction, Wild at Heart, and the new Hopscotch Hill School early readers. Based in Middleton, Wisconsin, Pleasant Company was founded in 1985 by Pleasant T. Rowland and acquired by Mattel, Inc. in 1998. --Nomi Schwartz [1]