Pleasant Company was the original company founded by Pleasant Rowland in 1986 in Middleton Wisconsin (about 50 miles up the road from me) that created the American Girls Collection with a goal of teaching history to girls.
The dolls were high quality and came with books that gave them each a story and a personality. They were designed to be a fit for girls between baby dolls and Barbies and were a huge success.
The company was sold to Mattel for 700 million dollars in 1998.
These photos were taken at the flagship store: American Girl Place in Chicago (Water Tower Place) which opened in 1998.
The Original Three dolls (1986): were Molly, Samantha, and Kirsten
Molly McIntire 's story is set in America during World War II (1944). There is a
six-book series about Molly representing the millions of American children whose lives were changed by the war.
Molly's stories frequently mention "ration books" used to buy sugar, shoes, and meat.
The McIntire family have a Victory Garden and grow their own vegetables to save commercially grown food for the soldiers.
Knitting socks and rolling bandages for the Red Cross is a constant background activity in the books.
Molly and her friends collect scrap metal to be melted down for ships and planes.
Claudie Wells is one of the newest historical characters, released in 2022. Her story is set in 1922 during the Harlem Renaissance in New York City.
Unlike Molly, who deals with the hardships of war, Claudie’s story is about the joy of creation and the search to find her own place and talent within the community. Her story focuses on jazz, music, theater, and art.
Her family has moved from the South during the Greart Migration to find better opportunities.
There are many experiences offered that make the store a popular destination for mothers, daughters and grandmother's.
The American Girl Café
This is the most popular activity. It’s a sit-down restaurant with white tablecloths and pink bows.
Every doll gets her own special "Treat Seat" (a clip-on high chair) and a tiny cup and saucer to "eat" with you.
The menu includes an afternoon tea with finger sandwiches, sweet treats, and tea/cocoa. Brunch/Lunch/Dinner: Features kid-friendly favorites (mac & cheese, burgers) and adult options (salads, salmon).
Dessert: Famous for the "Chocolate Mousse Flowerpot."
The Dolled Up Salon
is a beauty salon for both dolls and girls.
You can pick from a menu of hairstyles for your doll (braids, buns, ponytails). They also offer ear piercing (comes with earrings), nail painting (tiny stickers), and even facial scrubs to clean dirty vinyl faces. Girls can get their hair styled to match their doll's, have their ears pierced, or get a manicure.
##The Doll Hospital.
You can drop off a damaged doll here to be shipped to the hospital in Wisconsin for limb tightening, eye replacement, or head replacement.
Personal Shopping is offered and there are often Special Events that include Holiday Tea Parties, Gingerbread House Decorating and Hair Styling classes where girls can learn how to braid their dolls hair
The average cost for one of the 18 inch dolls is $135 dollars. If you buy a gift set that includes accessories or extra outfits, the price typically jumps to $155 – $175. Special edition and collector dolls can cost over $300 dollars.
My daughter had all the books, but never had an American Girls doll!
