The American Girl Store and Cafe in Manhattan
It Hosts Special Occasions for Young Girls, Their Dolls & Mothers
Jul 26, 2009 Carroll Trosclair
Thousands of children happily get their American Girl dolls through the Internet, but visiting one of the company’s seven United States stores has to be more exciting, especially if it is the five-story store, restaurant, salon and doll "hospital" on Fifth Avenue, America’s fashion boulevard in Manhattan.
There the young girls can see and compare the many different dolls and their numerous outfits first hand. They can take their newly purchased dolls, or the ones they have brought from home, to the store’s doll salon for new hairdos. Or they can leave the doll to be repaired at the store’s "hospital" for dolls.
After that, they can visit the store’s photo studio to have their pictures taken (with their dolls of course) for use either in an American Girl theme-portrait or on the cover of a souvenir issue of American Girl magazine.
American Girl Cafe
They, their parents, friends and dolls can have brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner right there in the fifth floor American Girl Cafe. As the company website notes, the cafe comes with fine linens, polished silverware and "girls giggling everywhere."
They will be given miniature chairs, called "Treat Seats," for their dolls, which they can attach to the side of the table and pretend to serve them tea from tiny cups provided by the cafe.
If the girls didn’t bring their dolls, the store says "plenty of extra doll friends are available to join you."
American Girl Picnic Lunch
Lunch starts with cinnamon buns, fresh fruit kabobs and pink lemonade. Unhealthy soft drinks are not served. Entree choices include a strawberry spinach salad, chicken sandwich, pizza, baked chicken tenders and an "American Girl picnic lunch." All that is followed with a chocolate mousse and a sugar cookie.
If their folks have reserved a birthday package (either in the main dining room or a private dining room), the girls will have received invitations (with matching thank you notes) to send to their guests. They will be served a fun meal, followed by a candle-lit cupcake with pink peppermint ice cream. Similar deserts will be served everyone at their table, along with a goody bag with surprise souvenirs. Young waitresses and waiters lead the singing of "Happy Birthday."
On one particular Sunday in July 2009, practically every table in the huge restaurant was celebrating a birthday, one young girl at a time.
Of course, none of this is free. In July, the birthday luncheon package cost $33 per person. The photo packages ranged from $22.95 to $34.95, without reprints. Brunch was $19 per person, lunch $24, afternoon tea $20 and dinner $26, all plus tax.
Kaya Celebration Day
But there’s much more. The store offers a variety of special packages ranging from cafe parties, theme parties, a full day package and even late night parties for girls eight years old and up. In addition, it offers 20 New York tours and special celebrations, including "Memories with Mom" and "Date with Dad," as well as grandparents day and "Kaya’s Celebration Day."
Similar stores are located in Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas and Minneapolis. The owners strive to make them institutions rather than just stores.
American Girl Cafe in Manhattan
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