The first American Girl store in Easton is set to close on Feb. 19.

   This store’s decade-long run has come to a close. After this location closes only, eight stores remain which include North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, California, Tennessee, New York, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Canada, according to NBC4I. The closure is due to American Girl’s adjustment to the difficult retail industry.

   According to NBC4I, “While difficult, the decision comes as we continue to optimize our store portfolio to meet our business objectives and evolve with consumer shopping behavior in a challenging retail environment,” a representative of American Girl said. “It’s been our privilege to serve this wonderful community for more than a decade. We thank our loyal customers in the Ohio area for their patronage.”

   Along with Columbus’s location, stores in Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle and others have closed in recent years, according to The Columbus Dispatch. They will continue to be open until the closing date. They offer a 20% discount on merchandise and 50% off books.

   American Girl Dolls brought joy and imagination to many Bears. Many memories were made at that magical store.

   “I’m so sad the store is closing!” Clare Torlone ‘26 said. “As a kid, I would play with American Girl Dolls all the time with my sisters so seeing them brings back nostalgic and happy memories!”.

   From the meticulously set scenes in the storefront to the hair salon, many people found joy in these dolls. Parents and grandparents spend valuable time with their children or grandchildren.   

   “My favorite memory is going to the American Girl Doll store with my grandma when I was younger on my birthdays,” Hannah Kent ‘24 said. “I also loved looking through the catalogs at all of the fun outfits and accessories!”