Shanghai's House of Barbie closes; tour of China to follow

That Barbie really gets around. California-based Mattel's best-selling toy has moved out of her shuttered Shanghai flagship store, "House of Barbie," and is hitting the road. "I have gone on a tour of China!" says a cartoon Barbie on the store's website. Apparently, the doll has itchy feet, and is road tripping--no doubt luxuriously--on a "Barbie Pink Bus Tour."

The six-story flagship store opened in 2009, on Barbie's 50th anniversary. Located in Shanghai's commercial epicenter on Huaihai Road, the pink palace contained a spa, cafe, design studio, fashion stage, and a vast array of Barbies and Barbie products.

The store closed Monday, says The Jakarta Post, after the world's biggest toy maker released a statement stating its plans to expand its customer base across China. Despite Shanghai's being the hub of the country's fashion industry, sales of the sartorially-savvy doll were disappointing. It seems parents are more likely to spend money on extracurricular activities for their children than on spendy Western dolls.

Safe travels, Babs.