Bye Bye Barbie
After two years of hawking the American icon to China, Shanghai’s splashy Barbie store is shutting its doors.
The Shanghaiist website’s Christine Tan, a store discount club member, reported receiving a text message today that the retail playground had finished its work of bringing Barbie to the Chinese masses. The 38,000-square-foot store is done.
“The Shanghai Barbie flagship store has completed its mission of developing the brand in the Chinese market, and will cease to operate on March 7, 2011. Thank you for your support,” Shanghaiist translated the text message as saying.
No word from Barbie's company Mattel on why the store was closed, or if it might try another tactic for getting Chinese masses hooked on the blonde icon.
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