Mary Shortle

Never a more scary shop have I ever been in! With my painfully low threshold for horror films, combined with the fact that dolls petrify me to my very soul, I knew my visit into the Mary Shortle shop was going to be under duress. (I wish I could have hidden under duress, then I would not have seen so much.) I have often passed by this shop, walking an in arch to avoid making eye contact with the evil dolls, so as this was my pioneering voyage into my nightmare, I braced myself.
Thousands of pairs of eyes bore down on me, as dolls of all shapes and sizes were displayed all the way up to the ceiling. This served the dual purpose of showing the vast array of dolls on show, but also limiting my means of escape. Trying to remain composed, I noticed that the expressions captured on the dolls faces were quite extraordinary. The skin looked particularly realistic, I was sure I could see one of their heart’s beating. Either that or I was having a doll-​induced panic attack.
The shop also stocked a variety of ornaments and keepsakes. There were some sickeningly twee heart cushions, one of which was emblazoned with the trite phrase ‘friendship doubles your joy and divides your troubles.’ Not with some of the friends I have known!
The teddy collection is displayed in a separate Mary Shortle shop, right next door to the aforementioned set of Child’s Play. This interior was a little kinder, the eyes of a bear don’t tend to have that murderous glint, I think the fur makes them seem more benevolent. There were current collectables, old bears and the politically ambivalent gollywog, alongside egg cups, money boxes and alarm clocks. Described as a list, the stock sounds like the beginning of a Dr. Zeus poem.
As I may have conveyed, I am not the biggest advocate of doll collecting, especially when done by an adult. Although being fairly expensive, I am sure this shop would be some children’s dream place to wile away their time and saved pocket money.

Mary Shortle has two shops in close proximity in Queen’s Arcade… one is packed to the rafters with teddies and the other is even more chocca with all things dolly.
First the teddies… upon entering the shop I was immediately struck by the height of the displays and the way the teddies seemed to loom down on me from all angles. I guess this just comes down to crafty display skills, as for a small shop there is an awful lot of teddy. There are a variety of teddies and soft toys to suit a range of tastes, from Beatrix Potter, Noddy and Paddington to scruffy vintage-​style bears to an adorable zebra with soft, rounded features. They also sell a range of gifts mainly aimed at kids.
The doll shop is an experience. Among so many dolls, one can’t help but be drawn to the creepiest of all… the dolls whose faces are hand painted to include broken veins and dry skin and whose faces are creased into realistic expressions of laughter or grimaces. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had been implanted with real human hair follicles. These are the kind of dolls that lonely American women push around in prams and buy designer outfits for. They actually do. I just don’t know how to react to these dolls… so I walk away and head toward the back of the shop.
A treat of tiny proportions awaits! Several large cabinets contain a huge stock of dolls house accessories, carefully displayed in life-​like scenarios — with clutter on tables and ornaments on mantelpieces, tiny families of dolls sit down to dine on miniscule platters of sandwiches and cakes. I have visions of becoming a geeky dolls-​house addict, painstakingly whittling individual dolly-​noodles out of wood… again I have to step away.
Though having a range of prices, some of the dolls are unexpectedly very expensive so be sure to check price tags before becoming attached to a particular dolly! If doll-​shopping, there is probably something in here to suit every taste and young children would be in heaven! But warning: anyone who gets creeped out by dolls in the slightest — approach with caution!

Before I ever stepped foot in Mary Shortle, the place gave me the jeebies… walking by the window and having all those eyes staring at me, threatening to come to life and I don’t know attack me in my shopping stupor just icked me out. My friend’s suggestion that we go in nearly brought on a coronary. The whole pinkitude of the exterior made me cynical for some irrational reason I will not bore anyone with. Walking in doesn’t ease the temperament of the uneasy doll fearer as there are dolls literally everywhere. There’s very little breathing space and walking space is also minimal as the dolls and bears (Steiff I might add) are well utilised in the small space. However if you can quickly get over the fear and man up a little bit, you will see a doll collector’s sanctuary. The doll connoisseur will appreciate the types of doll that inhabit the Mary Shortle store. From the porcelain realistic collectables to the cutesy Precious Moments dolls, there is a gift to be had for the person in your life that will appreciate a good quality doll. Prices run in accordance to how much you’re willing to pay. Some will have a price tag of £39, whereas others, depending on the designer/​maker/​brand will run up towards the £400 mark. They may look the same to you or I, but that all depends on how close you get and what you know. If you’re after a doll that goes beyond the toy store or supermarket quality offering, then head down to Mary Shortle, and pump the staff for information if you’re buying for a collector when you’re a complete novice.

If you have a fear of dolls I would not recommend that you enter this store. Chuckie would have a field day chossing his bride from the vast array of dollies crammed into this tiny, fascinating shop.
With a selection of dollies and soft toys ranging from newborn babies to toddlers, you’ll be sure to find what you are looking for. A lot of the dolls in this shop are very precious and collectors items only.
Small children will be in awe of the dollies they can choose from and I’ve heard many a tantrum in the store when said child can’t have a new ‘baby!‘
Prices suit every budget and the shop is charming in itself so worth a look in at least.