Groovy Girls Explained

Groovy Girls was a line of fashion dolls manufactured by the American toy company Manhattan Toy and launched in 1998. Each year new dolls were produced until 2019.

History

Groovy Girls launched in 1998 as a funky alternative to Barbie. Each soft body doll had different skin tones, hair types, and facial features, reflecting the ethnic landscape of the world. In addition to the dolls, Manhattan Toy produced furniture, pets, and even a camping kit for the dolls.

The brand's lifestyle aspects were fashion, friendship, and self-expression and were intended to represent a wholesome alternative to dolls such as Bratz, Flavas, My Scene, and Barbies.Groovy Girls were initially sold in specialty toy stores such as Zany Brainy and Noodle Kidoodle. Beginning in early 2005, the dolls were launched in Target stores.

Following the economic crisis of 2008, they were pulled from Target's shelves and began to only be sold at specialty stores and online from then on out.As of 2005, more than eight million Groovy Girls dolls have been sold since its inception.Groovy Girls doll series had accumulated more than $141 million in sales from the time of its inception to its time of being discontinued.[1] As of 2023, Groovy Girls continue to be sold secondhand but no new models are being produced. Manhattan Toy was sold to Crown Crafts[2] in March of 2023 and since then the teams, staff, and products have been joined into Crown Crafts for the sale of $17 Million.[3]

List of Groovy Girls

Here is a list of basic Groovy Girls by their year of release.

Some characters share names. Not counting the updated looks of the Main 6, there have been 2 dolls named Trini, 2 dolls named Vanessa, 2 dolls named Carissa, and 3 dolls named Marissa.

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Main 6:

2005

2006

Main 6 Updated:

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Poseable

These had wires in their arms and legs that made them able to strike different poses. They were released from 2006 to 2008.

Holiday Exclusives

Christmas

Easter

Valentine's Day

Halloween

RSVP

These dolls came with codes to unlock special items online. They celebrated Groovy Girls' 10th anniversary. The RSVP line dates from 2008 to 2009.

Fun Packs

Troop Groovy Girls

These dolls were partnered up with Girl Scouts. The Troop line dates from 2007 to 2010.

Dreamtastic

The Dreamcast line dates from 2005 to 2011.

Candy Kingdom

The Candy Kingdom doll line dates from 2007. Fatina and Dari have their pets on leashes attached to their hands.

Special Edition

These dolls date from 2005 to 2012.

Chic Boutique

The Chic Boutique doll line dates from 2005.

Flutterflies

The Flutterflies doll line dates from 2010.

Princesses

The princesses date from 2010 to 2015.

Mermaids

The mermaids date from 2002 to 2012.

Style Scents

These dolls date from 2015, and each one is fruity-scented. They all come with a pet as well.

Fairybelles

The fairies date from 2015.

Groovy Girls Sleepover Club

Groovy Girls Sleepover Club was a series of short, chapter books for early readers starring the main 6 Groovy Girls, who were Gwen, Reese, O'Ryan, Oki, Vanessa, and Yvette. The books each contained 80 pages and a few illustrations. The books were published from 2005 to 2006.

List of books

  1. The First Pajama Party: Slumberiffic Six
  2. Pranks a Lot: The Girls vs. The Boys
  3. Sleepover Surprise: A Twin-Sational Birthday
  4. Rock and Roll: Divas Supreme
  5. Choose or Lose: How to Pick a Winner
  6. The Great Outdoors: Take a Hike
  7. Growing up Groovy: An Out-of-this-World Adventure
  8. Girls of Summer: Bon Voyage

Licensing and awards

Burger King offered miniaturized plastic as well as plush versions of Groovy Girls in its global Kids Meal program, which ran from February 12, 2007 to March 18, 2007.[4] That year, Manhattan Toy also partnered with the Girl Scouts to develop a line extension of dolls called Troop Groovy Girls.[5] An online community called Camp Groovy Girls launched in September, soon after the dolls became available in stores. In February 2008, the Toy Industry Association named the Girl Scouts' Troop Groovy Girls the best girl toy of the year during the American International Toy Fair in New York City.[6] Groovy Girls had previously won "Girl Toy of the Year" and "Specialty Toy of the Year" awards at the 2003 Toy Fair.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tribune . John Ewoldt Star . Minneapolis toy company no longer feeling Groovy as 'iconic' dolls discontinued . 2023-10-26 . Star Tribune.
  2. Web site: 2023-03-28 . D.A. Davidson Acts as Financial Advisor to Manhattan Toy on Its Sale to Crown Crafts . 2023-10-26 . www.businesswire.com . en.
  3. Web site: editor . TIMOTHY BOONE Business . 2023-03-20 . Crown Crafts buys Manhattan Toy for $17 million . 2023-10-26 . The Advocate . en.
  4. Web site: 2009-11-19. 2007-03-12. Toy Firms Hope for Burger Bonanza. Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
  5. Web site: 2009-11-19. 2008-01-28. Mary Elizabeth. Hurn. DMNews (Haymarket Group). Manhattan Toy/Girl Scout Partnership; ExpoTV; Auto Insurance Specialists.
  6. Web site: 2009-11-19. 2008-11-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20081122124108/http://tritown.gmnews.com/news/2008/0313/front_page/015.html. 2008-03-13. Tri-Town News (Greater Media). Dolls Chosen as Outstanding Toy. dead.
  7. Web site: 2009-11-19. November 3, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20051103032751/http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2005/id20051012_606473.htm. 2005-10-12. Alicia. De Mesa. Marketing and Tweens. dead. BusinessWeek.

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