CHESTERFIELD, Mo. – Little girls' hearts are hurting after American Girl announced its store at Chesterfield Mall is shutting down next month.
One family said when they told their little girl the store was closing, she broke down and cried. She has four of the dolls and she loves them all. Her mom said she takes them everywhere she goes. For many girls who love American girl, the dolls aren't just toys, they're family.
Every Christmas, 7-year-old Khloe Montgomery gets an American Girl Doll.
"So I first got Chloe, second got Claire, third got Tenney Grant and fourth I got Gabriela,” she said.
And when she gets a hold of them, they don't leave her sight.
"They go everywhere with us,” Khloe's mom, Kara Montgomery said. “We always have a doll with us."
Khloe's mom travels from Fredericktown to bring Khloe to the Chesterfield American Girl store. The drive takes well over an hour--the soreness from the drive well worth it to see the smile on Khloe's face.
"Dolls to a little girl is a very special thing," she said.
But, when Khloe found out the store was closing, this time the thought of American Girl store didn't bring a smile to Khloe's face.
"I got really really really sad," Khloe said.
American Girl announced it will close the Chesterfield Mall location by Feb. 21, citing challenges facing the mall property which it said, "adversely impacted our store's business."
A spokeswoman for American Girl said the closure will affect ten regular employees and 27 part-time employees.
After the location closed, the closest stores will be in Kansas City, Chicago and Indianapolis.
The mayor of Chesterfield Bob Nations said he is "disappointed" in the news that the store will be closing.
He said because of the mall's lack of foot traffic, the city is seeing a decrease in sales tax revenue.
Nations said like many other cities may have to make up for the revenue in the form of "a use tax on internet sales."
For the Montgomery family, it's probably the last time they will visit the store.
"With the store closing that will put us having to drive to Kansas City, Chicago, Indianapolis to do this, so it will make for a much harder trip,” Kara said.
Since word of the closure, customers have created a petition to try and keep the store open. It's a petition that started on change.org. The organizer wanted 1,000 signatures and within hours received more than 800.
We reached out to American Girl to see if they will open another location in the St. Louis area, but we have yet to hear back.
