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The Association for Retail Environments (A.R.E.) has awarded the Store of the Year award to 35,000 square feet Barbie flagship store in Shanghai, China, designed by New York-based architectural practice Slade Architect.

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A.R.E. celebrated the 39th anniversary of its awards presentation on March 10, 2010, during an awards ceremony in the Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas.

The 35,000 square feet store is the Barbie flagship store of California-based premier toy company Mattel. The design of the store is centered on the iconic Barbie dolls, with a feminine interpretation of Barbie seen through out the store. Ohio-based Chute Gerdeman managed the interactive attractions, such as the Barbie Design Center and Fashion Runway experience.

The central feature is a three-story spiral staircase, enclosed by eight hundred Barbie dolls. The staircase and the dolls are the core of the store, and everything is designed to revolve around Barbie. The staircase links the three retail floors: the women’s floor, the doll floor, and the Barbie design center. The shop also features the Barbie Café, a restaurant and gelato bar on the top floor. Barbie Shanghai was also the Grand Prize winner in the Specialty Store Over 25,000 square feet category.

In addition to the Store of the Year award, fifteen stores and shops were presented with Grand Prizes onstage and sixteen Outstanding Merits received their awards after the ceremony.

The Association for Retail Environments (A.R.E.) is a Hollywood, Florida-based non-profit trade association representing the retail environments industry. The award presentation ceremony presented 60 awards to 47 projects for the innovation and quality of their retail environment designs, including best individual elements and sustainable environments.