YAY! This should be on Jezebel as well. I don't like to see businesses fail, and I know employees are involved, but I praise the good taste of those who didn't bring their daughters to these places and have them remade as living Bratz dolls.

The fact that such a place even existed makes me want to Libby Bu.

You had me at:
...an unprofitable tween-girls "makeover" chain that apparently exists.

Sweet Jebus, it's about time.

There's one at Downtown Disney here at the Disneyland Resort in California. I pass by it whenever I go to have dinner at the Napa Rose.

That place looks like Barbie and Paris Hilton drew up architectural designs while crashing on 'shrooms.

The Napa Rose, on the other hand, is nothing short of magnificent. Definitely worth a visit if you're ever in the area.

I really can't comprehend that last paragraph.

This falls into the "Child's Pirate Wench Costume" catagory for me.

Aah! These are so scary. I used to work at Build-a-Bear-Workshop (which is it's own kind of overindulgent excess, but at least is childhood friendly) and sometimes passels of girls would come in fresh from their porny, pop star makeovers. I'm glad to see this going.

The world is a better place w/o Libby Lu.

I'm pretty sure the term "prosti-tot" was coined for that place. I will not be sorry to see it go.

@Mkp-hearts-nyc: They get porny pop star makeovers, but they make a wish on fairy dust when they walk in? That does not compute for me.

OK, I propose a new rule: when you don't know what something is, you can't comment on it. Seriously. This was a place for (overindulgent and no doubt guilt-ridden) parents to have a BIRTHDAY PARTY for their daughters and all of the daughter's little friends. Don't make this out to be more than what it is.

@Crabby Cakes is SOLID AS BARACK!: They arrive there as little girls, but they leave as women?

All I know is that all the marketing materials were pink and fluffy and had faux feathers and tiaras...but little girls wound up in my store with slicked back hair, asymmetrical spandex tops and tight dance pants with fake-microphone headsets.

...

Are you kidding me?

When we first saw this in the mall, I went, "Hey! Stupid Spoiled Whore store!"

Thanks South Park.

At my mall this place was right next to Build-A-Bear so other mall workers affectionately nicknamed Libby Lu as "Build-A-Whore".

OH MY GOD. If only the fact that it was closing could remedy the fact that it ever existed.

@CyrusOpeth: Yes- My daugher came home from a "party" at Libby Lu several years ago. She came home wearing 14 pounds of makeup and jewelry with a brochure that advertised other "makeover" parties for little girls. It's pretty much exactly as they described in the post.

@PixiePerson: THIS. They have one of these in the local mall. I walked by one time during a "dance" lesson, which was really a "teach the 6-10 year olds to bump and grind in a fashion that would make an NFL cheerleader blush." These places are Stupid Spoiled Whore madrasas.

@CyrusOpeth: ...you don't think it's worthwhile to comment on an institution that fulfills every little girls fondest dreams...as long as that dream begins and ends with a makeover? Happy Birthday, you're a year older, but why not try to regain that youthful glow you've lost since turning seven?

My baby sister once had a party at one of these places... I hope for her sanity she's forgotten about it already.

Well, if the decision to close sparkles and shines with the committee, I gues there's nothing I can do about it.

*shakes her head* When I read about this chain, I was appalled, so I asked my 5th grade students about it. They all were fairly lukewarm on the idea as it was. They would rather have done something fun than get whore makeup and learn to "shake their booties".

@Mkp-hearts-nyc: hah!

And yes, I know what this is. It doesn't make it less disgusting. And I'm saying this as someone who is fairly liberal. There's a reason the West Coast hasn't embraced the child beauty pageant scene.

@apronk: Amen.

@kimsama: +1

Seriously. Who the hell thought this crap up?

Hmmm, how exactly do you "makeover" a child? "Sweetie, we're going to take yeeaars off that face...you'll have the glow of an 8 year old. And that waist? Dahling, that waist simply must be trimmed down to a svelte 12 inches. And lots of glitter, honey, lots of glitter. And my all means, you should smell like chocolate and cherries."

Yet, according to the Libby Lu web site, there is a new VIP program coming online? They even have a countdown timer. I am laughing and crying at the same time right now. You should check out their site, it's entertaining, yet disturbing in a Serial killer meets bozo the clown kinda way.

I have to say that I have seen one of these at the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall here in Arizona. My two girls, 7 and 13, were immediately attracted to the store. They succeeded in getting us in the door, but I quickly realized that they catered to a class I don't and probably never will belong to, one who thinks it's acceptable to spend hundreds of dollars on kids' birthday parties and other events.

At the party, girls arrive at the Club. They are all greeted by a fairy and make a wish on her fairy dust. Each girl then creates her own secret Club name. Then their Libby Dusâ„¢ comes true. After dressing up and playing games, they visit our Goodie Shop and make their own Goodie Bags. Singing and Dancing, all the girls celebrate the guest of honor.

I don't know that I could bring home a paycheck finding out what kind of marketin works on children. There seems to be a lot of lost dignity involved, on both ends.

@deadandy: I thought you were going to say, the class of people who think that whoring their children is an appropriate birthday party activity.

Not long ago a client and I were outside his office and this bright pink limo drives by with "Girl Party Limo" or something down the side. We thought, "Hey, that looks great! Let's find out what they charge." So we go inside and the secretary hears us talking about it and says it's for preteen girls. Not what we thought.

Not what we thought indeed. We were sorely disappointed.

@resipsapasta: That too. ;)

@Canino:

You must live near the Woodlands.. I've seen that Limo before.. Anywho, My daughter wanted to work there when she turned 16. Allwell..

Will they have the fairy dust at their liquidation sales?

Disney World has 2 of them. One in Downtown Disney and one inside of the castle (inside the freaking castle!) at the Magic Kingdom. They are always full of girls and I feel sorry for them because they all come out looking the same and, in my opinion, they often tend to look a tad whorish.

I hope they close them but I have a feeling that at least these 2 locations will remain open.

This a cute store where you can do "girl" parties and play dress up and put on makeup to be like Miley or Hannah or Selena or whomever, just like you probably did as a child with your mom's makeup and high heels, only everything is kid-sized and kid-friendly. They even have a little stage area where the girls can lipsync and karaoke. Cute concept. My daughter attended a party there when she was 6 and had an OK time (she's sort of a tomboy) but it did take me an hour to get her hair unbraided and all of the glitter spray washed out.

With all of the Hannah, et al, garbage at the Walmart, it's no wonder parents would shun spending the big bucks at CLL when they can get it cheap and have the same type of party at home. Hate to see people lose their jobs, though.

"and get a 'Club Libby Du.'"

Is that slang for getting a club up the side the head?

Good. They have one of these horrible places at the local mall. Just this past weekend there were two little girls running around outside the store with relatively provocative outfits on, with makeup and long, blonde-haired wigs. The place is disgusting.

@SpiderJerusalem: "disgusting?" Did you NEVER play dress up or pretend? Liberal has nothing to do with it. Imagination does.

@suzapalooza: Neither Hannah Montana nor Selena Gomez wear tube tops or shake their asses in concert, both of which are things promoted at CLL.

I am very surprised at the negative replies to this chain. I took my then 11 year-old cousin for a "mother/daughter" makeover (close enough) and it was just a fun, cute thing to do - they just do your hair and nails, put on a *tiny* amount of makeup, and make the little girl feel special. It was just a neat and extremely inexpensive (I think it was about $35 for the two of us) way to spend some time with my cousin and I don't see anything wrong with it. It sounds like the people with negative comments haven't actually gone through the process - it is not expensive, they are not trying to give the girls a real "makeover" (they use that word because it is in fashion magazines - in reality they aren't changing the girls, just playing dress up for an afternoon), there is nothing "Bratz" or "hoochie" or "Paris Hilton" about it. I am sorry to see this chain go as it was a unique experience that my cousin loved!

@suzapalooza: Playing dress-up in my house did not involve any makeup, wigs, glitter, or spending money, actually.

@suzapalooza: Of course I played dress-up. Not in slut clothes. Not trashy dress-up. I played with my parents' things. I played with dolls and stuffed animals. I didn't clamber for body glitter and trollop makeup.

@lolan64:
[www.washingtonpost.com]

I like how you're discounting other people's experiences because they have a different policy for mother/daughter than for parties.

@suzapalooza:
[www.washingtonpost.com]

@Canino: You see, i read that as if you and your clients were guys.

Made me spit up in my mouth a little.

@caffeinequeen: They're in malls all over Texas.

@CyrusOpeth: I have a 12-year-old daughter, I've been into the Libby Lu in Downtown Disney in Anaheim, I've seen a party in progress as well as the aftermath, and it is exactly as described here (if not worse). Fortunately my daughter was only interested in the trinkets they had for sale.