Mickey’s Back

The Children’s Place Retail Stores Inc. (Secaucus, N.J.) has announced plans to launch its first newly remodeled, fantasy-themed Disney store, in Trumbull, Conn. It’s the first in a series of 30 grand openings that will take place throughout North America before the end of the year.

The grand opening will be held at the Westfield Trumbull Mall on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2005, featuring Disney characters and Disney Store executives.

The new 5000-square-foot prototype, dubbed “The Mickey,” was designed by Kiku Obata Co. (St. Louis). In addition to Trumbull, the “Mickey” concept will debut over the next several months in Mall of America (Minneapolis), West Edmonton Mall (Edmonton, Alta.), Orland Square (Orland Park, Ill.), Northridge Fashion Center (Northridge, Calif.), Staten Island Mall (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Danbury Fair (Danbury, Conn.).

An 11-foot-high “Sorcerer Mickey” is featured in the store’s center, with an elliptical ceiling and lenticular lighting overhead. Product placement has been lower for easier access by children. There’s also a media wall area with kid-friendly, Donald and Daisy “duckbills” as seats. Tinkerbell flutters over a fantasy-themed dressing area with décor inspired by the Disney Princesses and Peter Pan-themed characters.

In each area of the new Disney Store locations — Girl’s World, Boy’s World, Plush World and Toy World — are authentic Disney Store quality apparel, with the latest trends, styles and character-themed designs. Toys and plush lines include items inspired by Disney characters, including Mickey, Minnie, Disney princesses, “Toy Story,” “The Incredibles,” and Tinkerbell, plus Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto.

The new cashwrap area features a huge, iconic Mickey shape on the back wall, with gigantic Mickey hands and shoes near the counter shaped to hold smaller products and impulse souvenir items.

“Our goal is to make the Disney Store shopping experience really special and unique — with classic and contemporary Disney characters, the latest styles and designs, magical settings, and products that offer authentic Disney Store quality,” said Disney Store president Mario Ciampi. “While people can’t visit Disney’s theme parks every day, they can have a terrific Disney experience right at their local mall.”

Disney Store is now a wholly owned subsidiary of The Children's Place, which purchased Disney’s retail operation in 2004. Disney Store currently operates over 300 locations in the United States and Canada.