The story of American Girl started in 1986 with Pleasant Rowland, a writer and retired teacher from Chicago with a brilliant ... idea. Pleasant found inspiration to create educational dolls with historic backstories after a visit to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Originally known as Pleasant Company, American Girl started with sending out catalogues until we opened our first retail location in Chicago in 1996. Pleasant Company was purchased by Mattel in 1998 and renamed American Girl in 2003. American Girl offers an inspiring world of dolls, content, and experiences that nourish a girl’s spirit and helps develop her strength of character. American Girl has earned the loyalty of millions and the praise and trust of parents and educators. With best-selling lines including Truly Me™, Girl of the Year™, Bitty Baby™, WellieWishers™, and the classic historical character line BeForever™, American Girl sells products through its award-winning catalogue, on americangirl.com, and in its proprietary U.S. experiential retail stores. American Girl is a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT). For more information, visit www.americangirl.com or connect with American Girl on YouTube and Facebook. read more