Archive for the 'Merchant Spotlights' Category

Whimsies Dollhouse Shop in Greenwich, Connecticut has expanded their business to a new and larger location, just down the street from their previous location.  Susie Vallon, the owner, contacted us earlier this year because she had a vision of what her newly acquired location would look like with the help of Real Good Toys new Miniature Showcases. 

Real Good Toys was able to help with Susie’s requests by customizing our Miniature Showcase kits to work for their specific needs.  Susie and Casey assembled, painted and electrified each Miniature Showcase unit and the final presentation was incredible!  Check out these amazing photos:

You can visit Whimsies Dollhouse Shop at 39 Lewis Street, Greenwich, CT.  Phone – 203-629-8024.  Store Hours are 10AM – 6PM, Tuesday thru Saturday.  Make sure to tell them Real Good Toys sent you!

Everybody here at RGT wishes Whimsies Dollhouse Shop the best at their new location!  May you make everybody’s mini wishes come true!

D & J Hobby and Crafts store front

Life in a small town is nice, but it sure can be boring. Janet Pozzi grew up in Klickitat, WA, a town of about 400 residents near the Oregon border. She left to go to college, but never forgot the boredom, and sometimes trouble, that growing up in her small town could bring. She wanted to give kids something fun and positive to do.  Janet just knew her calling was to help bring families together and give children a healthy outlet for their creativity, so in 1971, she opened the doors to D & J Hobby and Crafts shop in Campbell, CA.

Jason and Darrell Pozzi

Janet worked in the 1600 sq. ft. store almost completely on her own until 1978, when the business out grew that space.  She moved the store to a larger 7500 sq. ft. space and her husband, Darrell, left his job at Lockheed Martin to help run the store.  Today, almost 40 years later, D & J Hobby and Crafts has grown to a 20,000 sq. ft. bustling store.  With Janet and Darrell all but retired, their son Jason Pozzi, runs the family business. Jason is dedicated to his mother’s original vision.

What makes D & J Hobby and Crafts unique is the diversity of their products.  This combination of hobbies and crafts in the same place is hard to find. D & J has three departments. Crafts, which includes dollhouses, R/C, and Hobbies, which includes models, games and trains. The store carries everything from yarn and leather working supplies to board games and puzzles, to radio control cars, trains, planes, and helicopters. Indeed, there is something for everyone at D & J, which is just how Janet likes it.

A large selection of miniatures at D & J

The dollhouse department at D & J Hobby and Crafts

Not only does D & J sell hobbies and crafts, they enjoy them too!  Most employees take their work home with them as their own hobbies and pastimes. Jason, Janet and Darrell are no exception. Jason loves to build and race R/C cars. Janet loves macrame and candle making, and Darrell can’t resist a good puzzle!  This kind of expertise helps Jason and his staff choose the best hobbies and crafts to carry in the store.  D & J employees love talking to customers about their own experiences with hobbies and crafts. Sometimes customers bring their completed projects back into the store to share. Many of their customers are much more than just customers…they’re a community. D & J Hobby and Crafts has a new classroom and hosts classes on many different subjects. Hosting customers is their greatest joy and it allows hobby and craft enthusiasts of all ages and demographics to share their interests face to face.

Jason is not only continuing his family’s dream, but he is expanding it as well. He has taken the nostalgia of classic hobbies and crafts and given them a cutting edge.You can find D & J in YouTube videos and on Facebook.This presence allows hobbyists from anywhere to participate in online discussions about the latest products. Also, they have a great website to visit at www.djhobby.com. Now D & J Hobby and Crafts is at your fingertips. If you find yourself traveling through the San Francisco/San Jose area of California, a visit to D & J is a must!

Parking Lot Tent Sale & Events, July 10 & 11, 2010

Despite all the hustle and bustle of the Silicon Valley, D & J is just your average Mom and Pop store. Just like their slogan says…If it’s fun, we’ve got it!

The store is located at 96 N. San Thomas Aquino Road, Campbell, CA  95008

You can reach them by phone at 408-379-1696.

Store hours are M-W 10-8, Th-Fr 10-9, Sat 10-7, Sun 11-7.

Lois welcomes you to Mirabella Miniatures

Lois of Mirabella Miniatures says, “There is magic in my miniature shop.” She has seen, first-hand, how miniatures can affect all the senses. She tells us you can see, touch, hear and even taste the magic from the moment you enter her shop.  She’s seen it in eyes filled with wonder when a child spots one of her cottages or dollhouses for the first time.  She’s touched it after she’s assured her customer that almost anything in real life can be found in miniature…and then puts her finger on exactly what they want.  She’s heard it when a little boy and his Dad exclaim over one of her garages or motorcycle or pet shops, or fishing cottages, only to realize they have a comfortable place in the land of miniatures too. And she has even tasted the magic in the form of a stray, salty tear hastily wiped away as one of her adult collectors’ shares how miniatures got them through a round of chemotherapy or radiation because they were able to lose themselves in the miniature world. Yes, miniatures are magic. (more…)

Laura Way, owner of Mini Temptations, Overland Park, KS

Mini Temptations in Overland Park, Kansas was founded in 1977 by Ken and Virginia Spence. Originally it was a gift shop and eventually the shop evolved into a dollhouse miniature store. Mini Temptations is the only store in the Greater Kansas City Metro Area, and largest in a four state region, specializing in miniatures. You can imagine their customers’ disappointment when the Spences decided to retire and close the store in 2001. Many customers panicked when they found they would no longer have a place to buy the special items for their dollhouses or other miniature projects.

In 1994, Laura Way began her hobby in miniatures when her children gave her a dollhouse kit for Christmas. It was then she discovered Mini Temptations and quickly became a faithful customer. When she heard the Spences were going to retire, Laura thought it would be a great business opportunity to purchase the store. So after 17 years in the healthcare field, Laura decided it was time to change careers. With the support of her family, she made the drastic change from the stressful pace of healthcare to the enjoyable pleasure of making her hobby her career. Armed with the determination to be successful, Laura and her husband Dennis bought the business in January 2002. (more…)

Tom O'Dea, owner of The Doll House Shop in Richmond, VA

Tom O’ Dea, owner of The Doll House Shop, started building doll houses when his daughter was four years old.  She’s grown now and no longer plays with dolls.  But Tom just keeps building doll houses. In 2001, for reasons known only to him, he decided to open a small business to build and sell doll houses. Maybe someone would want to buy them. Well…they did! Not just buy what he made, but give him specific designs and ideas for their dream dollhouses. Can you build this house? Sure. Can you put lights in it?  Sure.  What about running water? Sure. An elevator? Why not. Central air…now hold on just a minute!

Dollhouses at The Doll House Shop in Richmond, VA

From that concept evolved a full-fledged dollhouse operation in Richmond, VA. The shop includes construction studios as well as a complete supply of accessories, furniture and building supplies. Tom specializes in custom dollhouses and doll house repair, and can electrify your dollhouse to add yet another touch of distinctiveness to your keepsake. He takes enormous pride in creating his dollhouses and miniatures. Tom can even create a dollhouse that is a replica of your own home! (more…)

Happily Ever After, Ashburn, VA

When you’re in the Northern Virginia area, make sure you visit Happily Ever After for all of your dollhouses, miniatures and dolls. They pride themselves in friendly, helpful service offering a wonderful collection of dollhouses and miniatures. Happily Ever After will repair, renovate and construct all types of dollhouses. From custom-built projects to a simple adapter-wiring job, they are always happy to help their customers. Their home decorating center allows customers to completely coordinate their wallpapers, floorings, and interior trims. Being able to see and coordinate all the items together creates their perfect interior design. The staff at Happily Ever After takes pride in their ability to guide their customers to their ultimate goals. Sometimes, with the availability of their varied styles of furnishings and accessories, they are able to ”stage” their customers’ ideas and offer insight into their dream dollhouse. (more…)

Here I am beating the bushes again for my next merchant to spotlight.  As you can see from the Merchant Spotlight archives on our website, there are many wonderful dollhouse and miniature shops out there and many of you have a shop in your area that you like to deal with.  How about telling me who your favorite dollhouse and miniature merchant is and why they’re so special?  What makes them your favorite Real Good Toys dealer?  Is it their extensive inventory?  Is it the customer service they offer?  Maybe you attended a fabulous class they offered.  I will contact your favorite merchant and see if they would like to submit information and pictures for our next spotlight for our website and newsletter.  Say something nice about your favorite shop and I will put your testimonial in the spotlight narrative.  What a way for shops to advertise!  Being featured in our Merchant Spotlight is a great way for shops to reach thousands of existing and potential miniaturists.  So get busy everyone.  I’ll be waiting for you to tell me about your favorite.  Jodi

My Doll's House, Dollhouse & Miniature Shop, Torrance, CA

Real Good Toys Queen Anne dollhouse kit custom built by My Doll's House

DeKoster built their first dollhouse for their eldest granddaughter. They found so much pleasure in their granddaughters’ delight that they decided to share their love of miniatures and building dollhouses by opening the store. Although Roger was legally blind, this did not deter them from their passion and dream of being in the dollhouse business. Giving a gift of a hand crafted, custom built heirloom dollhouse was all it took! Over the many years that they have been in business, Marj and Roger have become known as experts in building unique, heirloom quality dollhouses, which generations of families have come to treasure and enjoy. They have custom built over 500 Real Good Toys dollhouses, along with houses from other manufacturers. Every house they’ve built has been photographed and recorded in their many photo albums. Their customers love to pore over these albums getting ideas for their own dollhouse projects. Marj is known for her color expertise and talent in wallpapering the houses, and Roger, who passed away in January 2008, was known for his skill in hand-laid flooring and electrical hardwiring the dollhouses. Local artisans have sought them out over the years and many of them have supplied the store with one-of-a-kind pieces that give the dollhouses an added quality of uniqueness and value. Some Hollywood celebrities have commissioned Marj and Roger to build custom dollhouses for them. A lighthouse that they built was used in a high profile feature film.

My Doll's House, Real Good Toys Lighthouse and Keeper's House

My Doll's House extensive dollhouse and miniature products

Marj continues to run the store after Roger’s passing and she enthusiastically passes on her passion for dollhouses and miniatures to newcomers as well as her regular customers. One customer, who had not visited the store for 10 years, was very pleasantly surprised when Marj remembered him. He said, “Her experience and hospitality makes visiting the shop for supplies and advice worth the drive…”. Another customer says, “Marj is friendly and very helpful to all customers, from beginners to experienced, and is a dream to work with because of her knowledge, which is why I love to visit the shop”. Marj also occasionally brings in other experts who offer workshops on building, flooring, and stained glass.

Great service, quality products and extensive knowledge…My Doll’s House is truly a full service dollhouse and miniature shop.

To see the current workshop schedule and find out more about My Doll’s House extensive product line, don’t hesitate to drop by and visit Marj at the store when you are in Torrance or visit the store online at www.mydollshouse.com. The store in Torrance is open 7 days, 9:00am – 4:30pm and by appointment.

My Doll's House workshops and classes

My Doll’s House

1218 El Prado, Suite 136

Torrance, CA 90501

310-320-4828

Discover a treasure trove of exquisite, hand-made porcelain dolls, along with an amazing selection of dollhouses and miniatures when you walk through the door at Dolls and Minis.  The store stocks over 3500 dollhouses, miniatures, collectibles, porcelain dolls, and supplies.  It is a real doll-making studio within a full line retail miniature shop.  The shop also stocks many hard to find, one of a kind items.

The proprietor, Dawn Reese, and her staff treat all of their customers the way they would like to be treated-with good, old fashioned customer service.  Dawn says, “Almost every day I learn something new about dolls and dollhouses, which lets me help every client have the very best dollhouse and miniature experience they can possibly have.”  Of course, help and advice are always free. (more…)

Many of our merchants, or retailers, have fascinating shops that carry huge selections of dollhouse kits, finished dollhouses and miniatures.  The proprietors are ultra miniaturists.  What better way to highlight their shops and all they have to offer than to put them in the “Spotlight”.  Here are quick links to each spotlight.

Chautauqua Miniatures, Mayville, NY

Lynlott Miniatures, Pittsburgh, PA

Just Miniature Scale, Greensburg, PA

Dollhouses, Trains & More, Novato, CA

Circus Circus, Pompton Plains, NJ

Once Upon A Time, Vienna, VA