The 1950s home of Mattel founders/Barbie inventors Ruth and Elliot Handler sold in April (for $2.2 million) and the new owners must be righteous feminists committed to smashing the birthplaces of patriarchal oppression, because they've ordered up a demolition permit. The house was built in 1951, just a few years before Ruth modified a German doll into the body image nightmare we all know today as Barbie. Nicole Leibovitz Klauzar, whose grandparents bought the house from the Handlers in the 1960s (post-Barbie-invention), posted the demo news on Facebook and writes that "The house has changed hands several times since my grandparents sold it in 2000 and a few original features such as the floor to ceiling copper circular seating fireplace were removed by new owners. It was recently resold and the new owners plan to tear it down any day now (I'm too sad to drive by to check it out) and re-build a huge McMansion."
Leibovitz Klauzar adds that "The sad thing is, the house was far from a tear down. It was beautifully maintained in many respects." Besides the awesome-sounding copper fireplace, the house also once had a full-sized bar with soda fountain in the family room and a rock-and-water feature flanking the staircase. A permit has been pulled to raze the house and fill in the pool, and to build a new single-family house with garage on the lot.
· Handler House [Facebook]
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