Vancouver Store Gabriela Launch

My niece and I braved the Vancouver Ice and snow on January 1st for the release of the Girl of the year.

We brought home Gabriela and my niece and I think she is fantastic. We love her hair so much!

This was such an exciting thing to do with her as she was visiting from Montreal and the store was not busy at all! We had a nice visit wit a few familiar faces but we missed Miss Nikki, now that she is not in the store I felt like a bit of the magic was gone. This doll though and her line is wonderful and we are thrilled.

I love the store exclusives and was surprised to see what was on sale!

Great outfits and colors!

First time for me seeing the fun camper too!

The store was not busy but there Gabriela was flying of the shelf!
Great job AG with this years doll of the year!
As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

A Canadian Visit In Store With Linda P!

Great news from one of our readers! Linda P wrote in this week to share the following news and photos! 

"The price of the AG dolls has dropped on Indigo's website..$139.00 now rather than $154.00, except Lea which I think is at $149.00 and Addy is clearing at $95.00 but in store so far. All of Addy's stuff is clearing for a considerable amount of $$ off in the actual store.
The website shows some of the new prices for the dolls....but they haven't changed the beforever title page but if you go to each doll the new price is there. The truly me dolls are also at 139.00 on the website.
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/toys/american-girl-beforever-maryellen-doll/887961151060-item.html?ref=shop%3akids%3akids-american-girl-beforever%3abeforever%3a1%3a"

"There are also random outfits on clearance, Rebecca's PJ's for 19 and Julie's patchwork outfit for 29.50 and Julie's hair style stuff."

"The new releases are there as well except Wellie wishers. Thought your readers might be interested in the price reductions because the stuff on the website could be ordered from kiosks, the shoes are so cute!"

Thank you Linda for sharing your photos and info with all of us today!
As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

A Trip To The Vancouver American Girl Boutique

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting my friend Loretta at the Vancouver American Girl Boutique. My niece PB joined us as well. I had asked Loretta to make a dress for my mothers Chatty Cathy doll and I love how the dress turned out!

My mother would have loved this little dress and I am so thankful to Loretta for creating this special dress for me.

Such a treat to visit with Miss Nikki and she kindly showed us the newest PWP a lovely spring outfit with a lined hoodie!

My niece PB was overwhelmed with all the dollies and the balls they had in the set quickly caught her eye!

I was so excited to see all the Mystery books!

The displays are always my favorite, I love the bathing suit! Purple flip flops too!

I could not resist taking Samantha's tea set photo!

This was the first time I had seen Maryellen's sets up close and I was thrilled with the scale of the tv and the couch. I was surprised at how small the Seaside diner was.

Of all the dolls that were in store I think this one was my most favorite. I love her hair and she was so cute I wanted to take her home!

I had a wonderful visit at the Vancouver store and I am so thankful to Loretta and Miss Nikki for making it such a fun visit.
As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Purchase With Purchase At The Canadian American Girl Doll Stores!

I am happy to announce that Miss Nikki has share that in stock and waiting for you a the Granville American Girl Store here in Vancouver while supplies last the most adorable Santa Dress! Come check it out in store and tell her I sent you!
Thank you for letting me share your photo Miss Nikki!
As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

An Afternoon At The Vancouver American Girl Store

Yesterday afternoon I took a group of girls who happen to be my nieces to the American Girl store here in Vancouver. The new location in the Broadway Indigo is truly the size of a shoe box which was very disappointing but the staff and the lay out of the store more then made up for that.

The event was a Grace inspired craft and games which was so much fun! The girls all made passports &  Recipe Boxes then we played Bingo in French!

My niece Thea got her doll Samantha's Ears pierced while we were in the store and the staff took extra care in making sure that both Thea and Samantha had a great experience! Thea and Samantha share a birthday!

 Marie-Grace had her hair expertly done (the staff had their work cut out for them with this particular dolly!) as did two of the Grace dolls that my nieces brought with them. The hair salon is a fun and educational way for the girls to learn about how to take care of the dolls hair and skin! Staff do a great job of engaging each child and I was very impressed.

My one nephew who is two made short work of turning the display into a hockey arena. Using the crutch of the display as his hockey stick...he left sadly and shortly after this photo, the event was a bit too much for him...
A huge thank you to the staff of the Vancouver Store and Miss Nikki who lead the girls craft time. We were so impressed and left with our bags full of new AG goodies for the girls and memories to last a lifetime.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Our Afternoon Plans!

This afternoon our Vancouver American Girl Store is holding a special Grace Thomas craft activity and I am going with 6 young doll lovers to the event. I am very excited to see the new Vancouver store and see the craft the staff has in store for the girls! I can not wait to share photos with you all later!
As with all my posts we would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

THIS JUST IN VANCOUVER AMERICAN GIRL STORE MOVING!

Thanks to Deena of Beena and Denna for the heads up but it has been announced that the Chapters store on Robson will be closing in June. After that a temporary location for American Girl Vancouver will be located at the Broadway location.
Click here to read more about it.
As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

WELCOME AMERICAN GIRL TO VANCOUVER BC CANADA!

Today I had the pleasure of a preview of the American Girl Store located 10 minutes from my house, across Lions Gate Bridge here in Vancouver British Columbia!

Let me first start by saying how very impressed I was with the store, as tiny as it is it gives you an idea of what a trip into the larger flag ship sister stores to the south offer. If you have been to the AG store in Seattle let me start by saying you could fit this Vancouver store in the cafe/bistro of the Seattle store and still have room to walk around it is so small! What it lacks in size is made up in personality. I was treated to  First Class service that I have come to know, respect and appreciate when in an American Girl store.

Nikki pictured above and her co-worker Bronwyn, gave myself and my camera man Oli a great tour of the store and excellent service. They both are so excited to have you come in and bring your dolls for a bit of pampering! You can expect wonderful hair styles and spa service at the Vancouver Location. You can even have your dolls ears pierced in store (AG dolls only please) At this time hearing aides can not be added to your dolls but Nikki and Bronwyn tell me that the more we ask about services, dolls, store exclusives the better, they are keeping track of our requests to let American Girl Head Office know what we are looking for!

 What can you look forward to in store? A great selection of Isabelle Doll of The Year Collection including some girl sized Isabelle outfits. For 18 inch dolls, Isabelle Girl of The Year and her collection, 26 of your favorite My American Girl dolls,some furniture and accessory sets as well as beautiful Bitty Babies and accessories. Don't forget American Girl's Amazing collection of Books, located in a book store this American Girl offers a larger assortment of American Girl Books then I have seen at even the Seattle Store! Stock up on everything from Girl of the Year stories, to the wonderful line of Self Help books, Craft books & Kits and My favorite Chapter books!

I have to admit it took all my strength not to buy up the entire bitty section! So much cuteness. I MUST HAVE THE BITTY BABY TEA SET.....darn my birthday just passed...maybe for Christmas.

I was thrilled to see this set up close and it is so very well made, I had to lift up the curling iron to see it, I was so impressed with the quality and weight of each item. They also had a great selection of doll glasses and quite a few items I was surprised with how reasonably the prices were. I had heard that prices were going to be shockingly higher to that of the AG Seattle Store and I was pleasantly surprised to see how comparable the prices were. I purchased a new earring set and another hairbrush while in store and paid exactly what I would have in store in Seattle. The dolls are just a little more expensive but when I take in to account how much duties and shipping there usually is on the dolls I have to say I am impressed and feel the prices accurately reflect market value.

Now as many of you know I am Canadian. I live in Canada and I love dolls. So when I hear people trashing American Girl For opening in Canada I can only shake my head. Clearly they just don't get it. American Girl is about more then a country, it is about a movement, a return to play and to encourage and empower girls through that play, through the books and stories and quality made heirloom quality items that adapt to a girls changing needs as she grows. A baby doll to start with, well made, cuddly and soft to an 18 inch best friend doll who you can play with, love and tell your secrets too. A doll to practice hairstyling on, designing clothes for, creating for. There is so many things that people who are un happy that American Girl has opened in Canada fail to see.There is a real need and desire for the legendary service and quality that American Girl offers and has done so for more then 25 years.

I truly enjoyed my trip in to American Girl Vancouver, I feel very fortunate to have been able to make it into see it, take photos and share my experience with you. The next week should be very busy for the American Girl Store and I can not wait to take my niece Thea to see the store and pick out her birthday gift, I am hoping she chooses the tea set....
If you are in Vancouver or are planing a trip into see the new American Girl Store please let me know! I would be happy to make recommendations for your trip and maybe even pop over to join you for tea down stairs in the Starbucks!

Thank you to my guides Nikki and Bronwyn for their assistance today and for providing us with the American Girl Star treatment.
As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com