Whilst browsing the internet for interesting doll and toy-related news I came across an article in the Chester Standard from 9th September by reporter Matthew Dougherty*. It was announced that ‘Dollectable’, a unique toy shop and feature of Chester for decades, had closed its doors. I must confess that I hadn’t personally visited or even heard of this one-off toy shop, but know that if I had I’d have planned a trip at some point… so why didn’t I know about it?

Through a little research I have found various photographs of the charming Dollectable shop front and the tantalising treasure-trove interior. To me, it is reminiscent of Emily’s magical shop in ‘Bagpuss’ and a true nod to the shops of ‘yesteryear’. Digging a little further I have discovered that it was owned by Mo Harding and her husband Steve who purchased the premises, a Tudor townhouse in Chester, in the early 1980s and dreamed of a business based around Mo’s love of antique dolls. Initially they planned to have a doll museum upstairs, but the Grade II listed building required too much work. Mo Harding clearly had a great life-long passion for dolls despite being told by her parents that she was “too old for them” at the age of twelve and I can only imagine what dolly delights they held within the shop. In 2017 she was quoted as saying, “I’d sell the house and the car rather than lose my dolls” and, “For me, you are either a doll person or not. It’s a way of life.”** I’m sure these words are something that most, if not all of us club members can relate to! In the same article Mo Harding mentions the hope that their “daughter will take the business forward eventually, maybe creating a website and taking us onto social media”, but I have been hard-pushed to find out if this materialised.

In our ‘internet age’ the face of buying, selling and collecting dolls and childhood toys and ephemera has of course changed immeasurably. Whilst it has brought with it so many benefits I’m sure that I am not alone in the sadness I feel in witnessing the gradual vanishing of toy shops in our towns and cities. Wherever I visit, I always look out for a toy shop and like to show my support, but they are increasingly hard to find. As a child (and adult – who am I kidding?!) there was nothing more thrilling and magical than a trip to a toy shop. I’d spend as long as I could get away with scanning the shelves, often straining to look at the dolls out of the corner of my eye so as not to draw too much attention to my true interest. But now, as we’re all aware, our high streets have changed. Specialist and unique shops, toy shops amongst them, are all too often now standing empty or replaced by some retail chain or another. That very special childhood experience isn’t so readily available, but the optimist in me hopes that in time shops like Dollectable will rise again!