Celebrating her 50th year in 2009, Barbie at long last is getting into retail. A six-story, 37,000 square feet palace opened in Shanghai in March of this year to represent her first flagship, but a smaller (7,000 square feet) - and possibly more expandable - version has quietly been in operation since late 2007 in Buenos Aires.
Called Barbie's Tea House, the Argentine store is really an American Girl store (also owned by Mattel) done Barbie-style. That means lots of pink on the exterior and interior of the store and across product. Associates wear pink t-shirts with "I'm a Barbie Girl" embossed on the back. A pink Volkswagen Bug with the Barbie logo splayed on its side sat out front. (This reporter recently visited the Buenos Aires store.)
The front of the narrow store is dedicated to product, including an ample selection of T-shirts, skirts, pants and handbags - most in shades of pink - as well as dolls and other trinkets such as hair and beauty care, watches, two-way radios, and even golf sets under the Barbie theme.
At the center is a Barbie Beauty Center, where girls can get their nails and hair done under styles such as the Butterfly, Princess, or Fashion Fever. After the salon, a Barbie tea counter serves up cupcakes, pies and beverages for both young girls as well as moms and grand moms.
For many, however, the big draw is Casa de Barbie, a fantasy-land behind closed doors in the rear where parties are held. The room includes toys and dolls, costumes, make up and jewelry, and a small catwalk for girls to parade under disco lights. But the store is also designed to appeal to older, former Barbie owners. Tidbits of Barbie history are written on the walls.
"The Barbie Store is a place where little girls feel big and mothers return to their childhood," Tito Loizeau, one of the owners of the store, told the Telegraph. The former marketing executive came up with and collaborated with Mattel on the idea. The store is a licensed location.
By Argentine's standards, prices at the store are high. A Butterfly hairstyle - including fairly tale makeup - costs 120 pesos (around $30). Admission to Casa de Barbie costs 25 pesos ($7.00) for an individual visit and much more to throw a full party.
The opulent Shanghai store, which Mattel spent $30 million to construct, also includes facials, customized doll creations, and $10,000 adult-sized wedding dresses. At night the store's two restaurants become trendy bars complete with DJ's, pink martinis and karaoke. The store operated by Mattel is expected to help drive branding and expansion in China.
Not surprisingly, the ultra-thin Barbie and both stores openings have drawn controversy. Even in Argentina, known for its obsession with plastic surgery, about 30 Barbie dolls were burned in the provincial capital La Plata this past March 9th, Barbie's official birthday.
Discussion Question: What would you think of Mattel opening a Barbie-themed store in the U.S.? Of the services and products mentioned, which do you think would be most appealing in the States? Would you expect U.S. stores to be profitable or more valuable for branding objectives?