Barbie's DreamCamper Comes to Life
Experiential retailer Camp is opening its first flagship store in Los Angeles as part of its national expansion. Part toy store, part family-friendly activity destination, Camp is bringing its unique combination of play, product and programming to California with this Century City location, the retailer’s ninth store and the first of many to come on the West Coast, the company said in a news release.
Opening on April 23, the 7,000-square-foot location will feature a curated “canteen,” or retail space, where families can shop for toys, gifts, books and accessories for all ages. Guests can also discover Camp’s signature “Magic Door,” a speakeasy-style pivoting wall that leads to interactive, themed experiences that rotate seasonally. The space will open with the retailer’s signature theme, Base Camp, which is an immersive summer camp-themed experience where kids can go from cabin to cabin and experience arts and crafts, sports, dance, theater and community.
Additionally, Camp has partnered with Mattel’s Barbie and national RV rental company RVshare to create experiences “designed specifically for the LA community,” including an in-store Barbie-themed disco cabin and an interactive RV campsite. The site will offer camping-themed play and nature activities, such as RV-inspired activity books highlighting the wonders of summertime road trips and family vacations.
"When we open new locations, we are doing more than just opening a store, we are entering a new community. Families have very few places that become part of their routine where they can have fun, escape, and build memories together." Ben Kaufman, Camp's founder and CEO, said in the release, while adding that Los Angeles has been at the top of Camp’s wish list for several years.
At launch, Camp will host free themed activities in partnership with Barbie, RVshare and Visit California, a nonprofit organization that develops marketing programs in partnership with the state’s travel industry. Consumers can sign up to participate in the experiences starting on April 20.
Camp kicked things off on April 14 by inviting families to enter a sweepstakes on the retailer’s website for a chance to win a weekend camping trip in a decked-out RV, inspired by the Barbie DreamCamper, in partnership with RVshare. The winning family will also receive a prize package from Barbie, RVshare and Camp, which includes a Barbie-branded bike from Dynacraft and a doll-sized DreamCamper, among other goodies.
Earlier this month, Camp introduced a partnership with Disney to open “Mickey & Friends x Camp: An Extra Big Adventure," at its New York flagship on Fifth Avenue. The interactive collaboration, which will open on May 28, is the first of several Disney-themed experiences that Camp will launch in 2022 and travel to other Camp locations later this year and beyond, according to a news release from the company.
