SITTING IN a room above her shop on George’s Street, Dublin, Melissa Nolan holds a small box in one hand and reads an accompanying letter out loud.
“Thank you so much for all the years you let me enjoy the shop. It is with great sadness that I hear you are closing.”
After a few moments, she unfastens the tape holding the box closed. Inside is a charm shaped like a teddy bear.
“That is so lovely. That’s what we’re getting,” Ms Nolan said.
The deluge of good wishes has been non-stop since The Doll Store announced it would be closing today, due to financial reasons.
The store has been a mainstay on this stretch of road since the 1930s, and Ms Nolan has been the owner for the last 28 years. Putting her doll-making skills to good use, she also began a doll hospital and teddy bear repair clinic, where she has helped keep Dublin’s much-loved toys and heirlooms in tip-top shape.
The closure is a blow for her customers, some of whom have frequented the shop their entire lives. The Doll Store is one of the few left of its kind, offering repairs as well as custom-made dolls houses, clothing and miniatures.
Clients have been arriving from all over the country hoping to place one last order before the store closes its doors for good. But the Nolans remain hopeful that another store in a more affordable location may soon become available.
“Nothing’s materialised yet. We have about eight [offers] at the minute; more came in today we didn’t have a look at. We haven’t had time. We made a few appointments for next week, to see if there’s anything,” said Chris Nolan, Melissa’s husband.
The Nolans are very particular about what might suit them – somewhere with enough space for spare parts, repairs, and perhaps even a museum.
“We have a definite feeling, of course, that nobody wants us to leave. It’s very heartening,” Mr Nolan said.