Sophie has been wild about American Girl dolls since she got her first mini-doll for her birthday last year. She also got a “big” doll, Marie-Grace for Christmas (I hit the big sale they had on Marie-Grace and Cecile.) and her BFF Cecile for kindergarten graduation. She loves the dolls and the books. She’s way into reading. So far we’ve read 3 Kit books, the Ruthie book, all six Marie-Grace and Cecile books and 4 Addy books. She even goes up to her room and reads by herself now! Sniff, sniff – a girl after her mama’s own nerdy reading heart!
Sophie’s birthday is this Saturday, and a few weeks ago I got the idea that Emily and I should take Sophie and Kate to the American Girl store in Columbus, which is fairly new and only 90 minutes away for us. Kate has several AG dolls and was quite excited! She brought her Emily (get it? LIKE HER MOM!) doll along on our trip. When my niece Murrin,who is almost 16, heard we were going, she asked to go too! I thought it was so sweet she wanted to accompany her little cousins. Murrin was the original AG lover in our family. She has Kit and e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g ever made for Kit, and plans to hand her down to her own daughter. She took reverent care of her. Even though she’s spending more time with her iPod than her dolls these days, she’s not too old to play with her little cousins!
Emily and Kate picked us up, then we picked up Murrin and then headed to Columbus! Once there, we quickly found our way to the American Girl store.
And it. Was. PACKED.
I was honestly shocked. I wouldn’t go near the place after Thanksgiving due to holiday crowds, but I really thought on November 9th we’d be ok! WRONG! It was crazy, crazy, crazy. We could really barely move, and no matter what you did, you were on someone else’s way. Clearly American Girl has a great bead on the Columbus market!
Nevertheless, we had a great time looking around. I must confess seeing all the dolls displayed with all their beautiful outfits made me want to buy every one! Sophie had $40 early birthday money from my parents, and set about searching for the Perfect Thing to buy.
While she searched, I couldn’t help but notice the huge line for the doll hair salon and the cute little cafe within the store. It really was neat! I also noticed that the section for the historical American Girl dolls was much more packed than the section for the “my American Girl” section where you can get a doll that looks like you. This kind of confirmed my opinion that the historical girls with their stories are much more compelling.
Sophie finally settled on purchasing Argos, Marie-Grace’s dog, and the Saige movie. Saige is the 2013 Girl of the Year and won’t be around for long. Sophie and I have watched the Samantha, Molly, Kit, and McKenna AG movies together and they are all great, so she was excited to get the Saige movie. And eve more excited to have a Marie-Grace’s furry friend.
Kate settled on purchasing a matching American Girl hat for her and her doll, and Emily and I got in the h-u-g-e line to pay for our purchases while Murrin escorted the girls as they browsed some more.
We thought we’d be in line for an hour – it was THAT long. Part of the trouble with browsing was that the line was so long, it was coiled through half of the historical girls section. And there were 4 or 5 black-clad security guys to make sure no one got cray-cray! (Or stole something, I imagine.) It was also pretty warm, and we had dressed warmly because it was cold outside. We were wishing we’d brought some bottled water! Whew! Fortunately, the store had LOTS of cashiers and the line moved pretty fast. They did a great job getting everyone checked out, and we actually *only* waited 30 minutes.
It was worth the wait, though, to see this! Sophie was excited to make a purchase with her own money.
We were all thirsty and starving, so we headed off for lunch and then treated ourselves to the delicious and legendary Jeni’s Ice Cream with our girls.
Despite the crowds (I was really proud of myself for not having a claustrophobic attack!), we had a great time and a great day full of cousin bonding! The girls watched the Saige movie in the van on the way home and Emily and I enjoyed just talking, which we haven’t had time to do in awhile.
We can’t wait to go back again…on a weekday…in the spring…when the crowds are elsewhere.
Have you ever been to an American Girl store? Apparently the Columbus store is much smaller than the rest of them. What was your experience?
We (Sheby) have a closet of pre-Mattel American Girls. Serious cash investment by my MIL.
Faith and I had the opportunity to go to the AG store in Chicago, which is AH-MAZING. She had saved up her money and bought her very own doll, Kaya. We also got a Bitty Baby for Lucy, which she named Tessa.
We stopped in the AG store in Columbus this summer, just to browse, on our way to meet friends for dinner in Easton. Greg nearly had a panic attack looking at the prices 😉
And yes, the historical girls are so much more amazing!
We were planning to take Ella on a weekday at the beginning of December. Am I crazy?
On a week day if it’s early enough for all the elementary-age girls to still be in school, I bet you’ll be fine!
Took Bre this summer it was crowded then, but had an awesome time with her her 3 AG dolls got their hair done and did lunch at counter in cafe. My Great Aunt went it was the most funa and girlie time she has ever had (she has one son). we have take Breann to Chicago, Atlanta, New York and DC everytime its an awesome expierence with her.
We love American Girl! My daughter has Kit and Ruthie. I remember my sister and I pouring over the catalogs when we were kids and all they had was Kirsten, Samantha and Molly. We spent some serious time studying and dreaming of the things in that catalog but never actually had any of it ourselves.
My sister and I attempted to take our girls to the AG store in Atlanta last year on the week after New Year’s – it was total chaos!! It was so packed and the lines so long snaking around everywhere I don’t think we saw half of what was in there. I would love to take her back sometime, though. On a weekday. In the middle of the school year. And let her skip school to go.
I was a little older when the AG thing started (Jenny, you know, being only one year older than I), but I have the Samantha doll. I was SO excited when I went home last year to pick her up and bring her home since I knew I was having a girl.
To my horror, she was in my sister’s closet! And when I picked her up, HER LEG FELL OFF!! Now, I was like Murrin, and took meticulous care of her–so the only explanation is that my sister played with her, broke her leg off, then set her in the closet with the leg seated neatly in line with where it should be, and waited for me to discover it. What the what??
I was so sad, I left Samantha at my parents’ house. But as soon as I am able, I will be whisking her away to California, to the AG store here in town to take her to the doll hospital (where, undoubtedly, I will be spending $800 to get her leg sewn back on. Thanks, Ashley.).
That is hilarious and sad, Allison. The Samantha movie has been my favorite so far. Can’t wait to read her books with Sophie.
Man, I didn’t know your sister was such a BRUTE!
seriously – you went without me – that is JIVE!!
I want to play AG … and I have no one to play with…
I did buy my niece Saige for her bday, and when she opened it at her party, I told all the other girls to play gentle with Saige. I was like her bodyguard.
No one messes with Saige!
R