'American Girl' Rips Up Mall Site for Chesterfield Doll Hub

Here we go, American Girl doll fans.

The old is gutted at , and renovation is started on the site to bring the 12th American Girl store in the nation to Chesterfield.

The pricey doll-themed store and party/event place is set to open in by Spring.

for short, started as character dolls in 1986, based on tales of girls' lives throughout U.S. history, and included a series of books.

The Pleasant Company was eventually sold to Mattel Inc., and the emphasis shifted to contemporary American girls' lives and diversity of ethnicities. Girls may custom order dolls' hair, skin and eye color, hair texture, eye shape and nose shape. Clothing styles are contemporary.

Girls and dolls may buy matching outfits and sleepwear. It's aimed at 8- and 9-year-old girls but it works for a range of ages.

The company had total sales of $487 million in 2010, the St. Louis Business Journal reported.

AG stores typically host fashion events, tea parties, and other play/shop activities. Doll furniture is pricey by some standards, and large. The dolls cost $100 and are 18 inches tall.

The Chesterfield store would be 11,000 square feet and include a bistro. The facade will conform somewhat to other AG stores, with subdued colors, awnings, lantern-style lighting outside, and typically tame window treatments.

Other locations for AG stores include New York City, Chicago and Kansas City, KS.