American Girl Store Experience?

[mmbrad02]

This probably doesn’t ‘scream’ budget so much but you all always have the best advice! My daughter is 7 and has enjoyed her American Girl dolls for about 2 years now. I’m dabbling with the idea of taking her to an AG store sometime this year and trying to decide where the best option is. It would be a 2-3 day trip with myself, my DH, and my DD (total, including travel time. We do not plan to spend multiple days at the store!) Has anyone done both a Flagship store and a ‘regular’ store (for lack of better term)? Would it be worth traveling a bit further for a Flagship store? We are approximately 6 hours from the Atlanta store, 3.5 hours from Nashville, and 7 hours from Chicago. Columbus could also be in the mix. I’ve not researched a ton, but it seems like lodging would be about the same in Atlanta and Nashville, so that alone isn’t a decision maker. I assume Columbus probably would be as well, but I imagine Chicago would be more pricey, but Chicago itself might offer more to do if we wanted to make the trip more than a stop at AG. But that said, this is not our main trip for the year so we don’t want to go crazy on spending money.

Thoughts from anyone with AG store experience?

 

[goodeats]

We've never done a hotel in conjunction, but we have visited the Los Angeles store and the Palo Alto (Stanford/San Francisco) - the Los Angeles store was much more impressive. I'm not sure if it's a flagship, but it has the museum area, a full cafe, and back in the day used to have a theater with plays. The Palo Alto one is much smaller and it's restaurant is more like a diner. They both have the salon area. They still have fun at the Palo Alto one, but the Los Angeles store is just "more". I would say it's worth it to push for the flagship.

I've seen in the brochures that you can book a partner hotel and they'll bring you a doll bed!

 

[Psychodisney]

I've done the Chicago store with my DD several times and have great memories of it. Chicago is a great city to visit...especially in the summer and fall. We loved our special lunches at the AG cafe. It was a nice grown up experience for her.
You can probably find good hotel prices. The AG store is in Water Tower Place...north end of Michigan Avenue. You could look at hotwire for hotels in that general area. You'd have so many other things to do for the weekend too.

 

[AndreaDM]

We were just in Chicago less than 2 weeks ago and we stayed at a Hampton for $102 total with tax, right now it's not that expensive, but will probably be more when the weather is nicer. There are great hotel deals on Hotwire, but I wanted a specific one since we were there to see Hamilton (stayed right next door). We did not do AG this time (DD is now 15), but I did take her there maybe 6-7 years ago for an AG weekend. We stayed at the 4 Points Sheraton and they did give her the doll bed to keep, and some snacks, was too cute! I know other hotels do this also, but that was the most reasonably priced one that included parking. I would recommend Chicago over Columbus and Atlanta (have been to both of those and NYC as well). They are in a mall and not as big as Chicago, plus Chicago has SO many other things to do while you're there, we just went to the Shedd Aquarium this last trip and enjoyed it.

 

[RangerPooh]

We've done the AG Stores in Seattle (area) and St. Louis. Both were similar. We didn't eat there, but had considered it. Instead the girls both got to watch as their dolls had a spa experience. Then they each got to pick out items to purchase within a $50 budget. They enjoyed the experience and ooh and ahhed over everything.

 

[J'aime Paris]

We went to the AG store in Chicago years and years ago. DD was 7 or 8 then, she's 19 now.

We took the Amtrak train down to Chicago. She loved that adventure!

Stayed at the Omni Hotel which offered an AG package. Doll bed, matching robes, milk and cookies before bedtime, etc

Did the hair salon, ate in the restaurant, and saw the AG show.

DD had a blast!!

Plus, there is so much else to do/see in Chicago!!

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I've been to the LA and Palo Alto stores when I lived in California. I actually live in Georgia now and about 15 minutes from the North Point Mall in Alpharetta where the AG store is. I don't recall a major difference between the stores I have been to. When my husband traveled for work, he'd always look for an AG store to get the name of the city on the doll shirt for our daughter. He's been to many including Chicago. He mentioned how large and very, very crowded it was. I think that once you're there and your child is into the experience, the size of the store doesn't matter so much. I would highly recommend reservations for things like dining at the Bistro and hair salon for dolls. It's a must. Check out the individual stores on line because there are sometimes special events going on. I know the Residence Inn which is within walking distance to the Alpharetta AG store has the AG Doll package. A friend of my daughter did it. I believe Marriots also have the AG experience.

 

[Capang]

We drove to Columbus, about a 2.5 hour drive for us but we just day tripped it. We let my daughter pick out her first doll (which turned into 2) and I let her get a few outfits on sale. We didn’t do the restaurant, hair salon etc. Frankly, I enjoyed it more than she did and after 40 minutes my husband said, “ooh that’s not a bad price for a hairdo,” he then indicated we should leave. Which we did. I wouldn’t make an overnight trip of it, however I love Chicago so I would vacation there and check out the store, but it wouldn’t be a trip just for that. If your DD really wants to do it I’d just visit a “regular store” closer to home and skip the hotel.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

The Nashville store is lovely with great personnel, but the store is not located IN Nashville proper. It's in Cool Springs mall which is slightly south of the city of Nashville. There are plenty of hotels nearby, and they might be slightly cheaper than anything you'd book closer to downtown Nashville/ Music Row.

 

[wendow]

My girls were hugely into AG dolls and the stories when they were younger....sigh, such good memories...Anyway, we visited the Dallas store which is larger with a full bistro and we have done the Colorado store which is much smaller but does have the salon. We went for birthdays several times and got their dolls hair done, ears pierced (same birthday they got to get theirs done), etc. We were much more impressed by the larger store.

 

[mmbrad02]

Thank you everyone for your comments! It looks to me like Chicago might be worth the extra drive, but Atlanta might be comparable to Nashville or Columbus and we could maybe save ourselves a few ours in the car if we wanted to go that route. Decisions decisions! I appreciate your feedback!

 

[ktlm]

Whichever store you choose, be sure you make reservations in advance for the bistro/café. You don't want to miss that on a special trip and at least for the Dallas store- in our experience if you don't have a reservation in advance, you are not getting in. Also, if one of her dolls wants a trip to the hair salon- that is something else you can book in advance. It really is a fun experience to have for an American Girl crazed little girl before she outgrows it. Most of the girls around here are pretty much done with AG before age 9.

 

[razsav]

Thank you everyone for your comments! It looks to me like Chicago might be worth the extra drive, but Atlanta might be comparable to Nashville or Columbus and we could maybe save ourselves a few ours in the car if we wanted to go that route. Decisions decisions! I appreciate your feedback!

Chicago is definitely worth it! The store is large with beautiful architecture. We loved the store. It was better than NYC, Minneapolis, and Orlando. We went once, used some hotel points to stay downtown. We had dinner and it was delicious. They also have a cute cafe. It was extra special when Grace was doll of the year. Just loved it! My oldest is 11 now and I'm glad we went a couple years ago. Great experience! There's also a lego store next door.

 

[h&D3]

How about AG at the Mall of America in Minnesota. Not only do you get the AG store, but hundreds of stores for shopping, entertainment and food. All under one roof! Plus the amusement park in the middle. It;s no Disney, but it's fun if you've never been. Plus you have all the other stuff around the twin cities to do as well. Or drive a little farther south and go to Valley Fair Amusement park for the day. There is a ton of stuff to do here!

~D

 

[pfp258]

I just have to laugh when parents pay for the dolls to have a “spa experience”. Two girls, multiple trips including show when they had one, lunches, teas and never would I ever consider paying for a doll to have a “spa experience”

 

[klo1335]

We have been to the store in NYC and it was just okay. I'm not sure what I was expecting but even my daughter was just like meh. She much prefer's looking through the catalog and ordering online

 

[DreamIsaWish]

We have been to the store in NYC and it was just okay. I'm not sure what I was expecting but even my daughter was just like meh. She much prefer's looking through the catalog and ordering online

I agree that the NYC store was very unimpressive. Kind of dark, disorganized, and tons of displays were broken. They even still had a sticker advertising Melody's movie as "coming soon" even though it was nearly a year since it had come out. I sure hope the brand new location is better.

We love the Chicago location. Big and open, beautiful architecture. Cafe is a special experience. But it looks like they may have recently changed the cafe setup. It used to only be fixed seatings with one price but I looked into going in the near future and it looks like it's now a la carte.

Mall of America was fun. Cafe looks out over the amusement park and the food prices were quite good. I think we paid about the same in the cafe that the boys spent elsewhere in the mall on burgers.

I don't know how big the other stores are that OP is considering, but I know I would have been terribly disappointed had I gone out of my way to go to the Kansas City store. We happened to be staying very nearby so it was worth a quick jaunt, but we didn't spend very much time there (no bistro, smaller store, but super kind employees).

 

[amylevan]

I agree that the NYC store was very unimpressive. Kind of dark, disorganized, and tons of displays were broken. They even still had a sticker advertising Melody's movie as "coming soon" even though it was nearly a year since it had come out. I sure hope the brand new location is better..

I was just at the NYC location this past weekend (with my sis-in-law who has frequented the old location). The new one is definitely light and airy and she kept commenting on the difference when comparing to the old store.

 

[DreamIsaWish]

I was just at the NYC location this past weekend (with my sis-in-law who has frequented the old location). The new one is definitely light and airy and she kept commenting on the difference when comparing to the old store.

That's great news! The old store did not show of the brand particularly well, and it deserves better. I am SO happy that the new store is better.

 

[mmbrad02]

Thank you all so much for your help! We are leaning towards making the trip to Chicago since this is likely our only AG store visit (I don’t say for sure, since if we ended up in a city that happened to have a store we might return, but we won’t be making any more trips specifically for that purpose). It’s about a 6-6.5 hour drive for us, we think. My husband wants to leave out around breakfast one morning, arrive that afternoon, hit the AG store the next morning/early afternoon and come home that night. In my mind that seems pretty rushed, but it would definitely keep the costs more within budget. He has previously been to Chicago once with work and was gone less than 24 hours. I wasn’t with him and he doesn’t share a lot but he just didn’t seem to enjoy himself. But I would like to go in the Hancock building and have some Chicago style pizza at least  Are those close to the AG store?

For those with experience – is the AG package at the hotels worth the extra money spent? If my daughter doesn’t know they exist, would she really miss anything? We have a doll bed at home, but there is a huge part of me saying “If we are doing this, lets do it right” and spring for the package. But that knocks out getting the best deal on hotel rooms.

Also, when would you suggest visiting Chicago? My daughter is in school so from now till May 25 it would have to be a weekend visit if we opted for that. Or we can wait till summer and use some PTO days and go during the week. Would it be less crowded during the week, but summer? I kind of wondered if the two would cancel each other out.