Linda Shannon likes to say her store is a sanctuary from the outside world, where people of all ages come to escape and relax — even if there are thousands of eyes upon those who enter.
Shannon owns the Lollipops Doll Shoppe, formerly of Arvada (based out of a small house near the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities) and as of three months ago at 7331 W. 44th Ave.
The marquee outside Lollipops simply reads “Dolls.” The declaration is apt. Shannon’s store contains vintage dolls, contemporary dolls, porcelain, plastic, dolls designed to look like infants (complete with newborn ward), German dolls, Barbies, Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, as well as Jackie Onassis, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Boop and Elvis dolls.
“I love dolls,” said Shannon, standing among the stocked aisles of her store. “I don’t know how to explain it. Whatever you collect or enjoy has meaning for you. Dolls, to me, are just like a painting or a vase. They’re art. They’re beautiful to me.”
Shannon started an earlier incarnation of Lollipops in Texas, before setting up in a small house in Arvada. With an enlarged space in Wheat Ridge, Shannon said she finally has adequate room to offer goods and services to a wide range of clients.
Sheri Huddle is the store’s “Dolly Doctor.” Outfitted with a drop-off window and roomy workspace, Huddle restores dolls by rejuvenating hair, replacing rubber bands and reattaching limbs.
Huddle said her most frequent customers are women who want to restore an heirloom that has sentimental value.
“They were grandma’s dolls, they were mom’s, they got them as a child, ‘Daddy gave me this doll, and dad’s gone now,’ just different childhood memories,” Huddle said. “It’s not going to look exactly like it did, but it’s going to look as good as it can.”
Shannon said she values her customers, which are part of a close-knit community of doll collectors.
One such customer is Pam Love, a frequent visitor to Lollipops.
“I like the people here, and the selection is really interesting,” Love said. “I couldn’t tell you just why I collect dolls. I find them intriguing. Maybe I’m weird.”
Shannon foresees success and prosperity for Lollipops at the new location.
“Even when the economy slows down, people still buy things for their children,” Shannon said. “Even if they can’t afford things for themselves, they’ll always buy for their children.”
Need To Know
For information about Lollipops Doll Shoppe, 7331 W. 44th Ave., visit lollipopsdollshoppe.com or call 303-463-5506.