American Girl set to open at SouthPark

Fans of Kit, Caroline and the rest of the American Girl gang have a new store at SouthPark Mall to indulge in the full “AG” experience.

The store, which officially opens Saturday in the mall’s Macy’s wing, features a large retail space, a full-service bistro, a six-chair doll hair salon and a “Creativi-tee” station where girls can design matching T-shirts for themselves and their dolls.

“It’s 12,000 square feet of a place to celebrate girls,” said Wade Opland, vice president of retail for the Middleton, Wis.-based company.

Around the center of the retail space sit large display cases showcasing each of the eight historical “Be Forever” dolls ($115), alongside their books, clothing and accessories.

In another area, the “My American Girl” display case shows all 44 of the variations in nonhistorical dolls girls can name themselves. The Bitty Babies ($70) reside near the registers, along with the Bitty Twins ($125 a pair). Accessories and products for the dolls range from $5 headbands to a $275 horse-drawn “Pretty City Carriage” (without the horse).

The 25-seat bistro, which serves lunch and dinner, features counter seating (complete with pink under-lighting) and a private dining room that can accommodate 14 for parties, special events or overflow bistro seating. Special seats attach onto tables so girls can sit with their dolls, and young visitors who come without a doll can borrow one from the bistro.

At the first-come, first-served salon, girls stand in front of their dolls as the dolls have their hair styled or their ears pierced.

“It’s a girl-doll moment,” Opland said. “We’re teaching her to take care of her doll. It’s an experience.”

The average visit to an American Girl store lasts 90 minutes, Opland said. Potty breaks are expected, so bathrooms are equipped with special stands to hold dolls. Company officials expect the Charlotte store to draw from a 250-mile radius. (Until now, the two closest stores were in the Washington, D.C., suburb of McLean, Va., and Atlanta.)

American Girl has 17 other stores across the country, and another is slated to open next month in Orlando, Fla.

This story was originally published October 9, 2014 at 6:15 PM with the headline "American Girl set to open at SouthPark."