American Girl Heads to Canada
For the first-time in its 27-year history, American Girl is going abroad. American Girl, a division of Mattel, announced plans to expand into Canada in partnership with Canada’s largest book, gift, and specialty retailer Indigo Books & Music, Inc.
Opening in spring 2014, the American Girl catalogue will accompany two experiential store-in-store boutiques located in Indigo’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Toronto) and Robson Street (Vancouver) locations.
Visitors will find an assortment of the company’s popular doll brands, including the modern-day Girl of the Year doll, which launches annually; My American Girl, a contemporary line of customizable dolls; Bitty Baby dolls; and a variety of books, outfits, and accessories.
The store-in-store boutiques will also carry Dress Like Your Doll girl-sized clothing and a variety of best-selling American Girl books. And like the stores’ stateside counterparts, fans can also treat their dolls to a new hairstyle or ear piercings in the Doll Hair Salon and enjoy free girl-and-mom-friendly events and programs throughout the year.
Disney Store Expands to Mainland China
The Walt Disney Company announced plans to build the company’s first Disney Store in Mainland China, which is slated to open in early 2015 in Lujiazui, a locality in Shanghai. The 53,000-square-foot Disney Store will be located in Shanghai’s financial hub, and will feature a state-of-the art Disney Store retail space and a Disney-themed outdoor plaza.
Featuring cutting-edge technologies, visitors will be able to interact with their favorite characters and stories from across the Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars brands.
The plaza will feature Disney-themed landscaping and will have the capacity to host outdoor events. It will also be a site where fans can track the progress of Shanghai Disney Resort, which is projected to open at the end of 2015.