American
Girl Place
Chicago,
IL
Pleasant
Company’s American Girls brand has become almost a cult for girls,
encompassing dolls, doll accessories, girls' fashions, books, clubs and
charitable events.
The concept of the American Girl Place was to expand the brand to a place
that would be exactly where a young girl would go if she could pick the
perfect day out with her favorite doll.
Located steps away from Chicago's tony Miracle Mile, American Girl Place
is a combination of museum, department store, and tea at the Plaza.
The designers and Pleasant Rowland, founder of Pleasant Company, put themselves
in the shoes of their young visitors.
Marble flooring, wrought iron, light wood finishes and the brand’s
signature berry red is used throughout the venue, and even the restrooms
keep a young girl’s decor sensibilities in mind.
Stories about these characters are performed in the theater, where continental seating and a thrust stage make audiences feel like part of the action. Girls can also browse in the bookstore, then have their hair and makeup fixed in the photography studio.
While the historical dolls’ area offers soft, traditional colors, the second level, dedicated to the American Girl of Today, bursts with bright colors and contemporary, abstract graphics and sculptures.
Owners and their dolls dine in the Cafe, which is decorated in a black-and-white color scheme punctuated with berry. The elegance is mixed with a whimsical touch: Curtains are tied back with oversize buttons, chandeliers resemble bows or bonnets and hair scrunchies are used in lieu of napkin rings.
