MIAMI – Calling all you Barbie girls and Ken dolls! Barbie has officially taken over Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood!
On Friday, the iconic girl opens her pop-up Malibu Café that is inspired by the groovy beachside energy of the 1970s.
The café was inspired by the carefree summer days when Malibu Barbie was first introduced to the world, and Wynwood’s vibrant neighborhood is getting a splash of pink with the café's arrival.
“Bringing Barbie and this extravagant thing here has been incredible. I’m so happy with how it came out. Now I want everybody I grew up with to see it,” said Derek Berry, president of experiences at Bucket Listers.
The café is taking us back in time to a 1970s Malibu dream.
This nostalgic dream is filled with groovy décor and classic barbies, like the original ones from the 70′s.
“At our Malibu Barbie Café, you can expect to jump into a life-size Barbie box, which everyone envisions doing,” Berry said. “We have a skating rink here. We wanted to bring in different elements of the West Coast. We love Miami, and we have our own vibe here, but there are certain different elements. We wanted to bring that laid back vibe and there are different photo moments throughout here.”
It’s an Instagramers paradise, offering endless spots to take a pic.
The café is also giving back. When you sign up for roller skating, which is only $1, proceeds benefit Girls Inc., which empowers young girls in Miami.
And you can’t forget to check out the food.
“I grew up with Barbie, so it felt like a nostalgic opportunity,” executive chef Becky Brown said. “I thought it would be fun to create food that I thought Barbie would eat, inspired by 1970s Malibu. Just really wanted to have a fun time with it.”
The menu is just as diverse as Barbie’s wardrobe!
“Really tried to create a diverse menu. You’ve got some fun, retro things, like our double smash burger or even our buttermilk pancakes. But you also have some elevated dishes, like the hummus, which is pink with beautiful flowers on it,” Berry said.
An entrée, side and cake pop is included with your ticket purchase.
And for dessert, they added some Miami flair with a guava ice cream float that comes in a Barbie car.
And before you go, don’t forget to stop by the Barbie shop.
“You can come here on a girls night out or a date night and do the same thing and have a great time. We think there is something for everyone here,” Berry said. “The brand has been around since 1959 -- it really stood the test of time. For us to do something iconic with this brand like this, it’s going to speak to people who’ve played with Barbies back then all the way to current.”
On March 9, they’ll be celebrating Barbie’s 65th anniversary with a skate night, which happens to fall during Women’s History Month.
They’ll be open from now until mid-April, but they said if demand is high, they will consider extending their stay.
Tickets for the restaurant will be available exclusively at Bucket Listers. Join the waitlist and receive first notification of tickets going on sale.
Follow @barbiecafeoffical for all the latest news and details.