Torrefaction

Gigi's is where I buy most of my dolls and doll stuff here in Chicagoland. They're a mom-and-daughter operation and they've been in business for ages.  They're definitely an old-school shop, so you won't find much on their website, but they'll take care of anything you like over the phone, they have a strong presence at shows, and the shop itself is a dream.

The shop is up on Northwest Highway, in a nice area on (you guessed it) the northwest side of the city, right near the city limit.  I get there by taking 294 to the Touhey stop, then heading east on Touhey to NW Highway, and then southeast down to the shop.  From where I live in the southlands, it's about an hour's drive, and I cheerfully make this pilgrimage every couple of months (or more) because it's always a fun experience.

The shop is large, bright, and chock-full of beautiful things.  When you arrive they offer you coffee and cookies, and they'll look after your coat or anything you don't want to carry.  Whenever I've been there, at least two people were working behind the counter, and while they let you browse in peace they're always ready to help out or just to chat about dolls.

Going around the shop (in my head) clockwise, they have: Alex dolls; a case of Gene dolls; two wall-length bookcases full of plush toys and bears; a paper doll rack; a book rack; a glass case full of fancy barbies of various types.  In the middle of this section there's a case full of large, pretty cool porcelain artist's dolls that are too expensive for me to bother looking at, so I don't really remember exactly what's in there, but if you collect the really exclusive stuff, they've got it. Anyway, moving around the store, there's a whole lot of regular barbies on an open shelf set along with various action dolls, planet-of-the-apes dolls, etc - all those 12" movie tie-in things.  This is encircled by cases of dollhouse miniatures and dollhouses.

Next there's the nostalgia room, which is full of affordable, "as-is" dolls from the 70's and thereabouts -- Tiffany Taylor, Effanbee dolls of the world, Jem, Suzy Walker, Sweet Sue, Krissy, My friend Mandy, and so on.  Then there's the clothing room, which has a zillion doll outfits on hangers.  There are some particularly nice ones for older porcelain lady dolls--some of which will fit contemporary dolls, too, or can be altered to fit them.  I got a nice vintage white petticoat and chemise for one of my Tonner American Models recently. Connected to the clothes room is the wig & shoe room, which also has new bodies for antique porcelain heads and other parts and pieces.  Most of the wigs aren't for small dolls like Tyler or Tiny kitty, and a lot of them are in little-girl or baby styles, but last time I was in they had a couple very nice BJD wigs, too.

Moving along, they have a case marked "doll museum" that's full of all kinds of amazing stuff, none of it for sale, but tons of fun to look at. They've got a long case full of vintage alexanders, and another long case of contemporary alexanders--cissies and wendies and so on.  In between the alexanders is a wall of ethnic dolls, including those odd silk chinese-lady ones that are more like statues, because they can't be posed.  In the center of this area are cases with some amazing porcelain dolls, both contemporary and antique.

Then there's a section with all sorts of play dolls--inexpensive madeline dolls, some American Girls dolls, Ginny & Toni, Betsy McCall.  There's a case full of those Franklin Mint-type bride dolls.  And then there's a whole section devoted to Tonner dolls, from Tonner co. as well as Effanbee, plus a bunch of ready-to-wear outfits for Tyler and friends.

Here and there throughout the store are smaller displays with small collections of all kinds of different things, from porcelain half-lady pincushion dolls to R. John Wright felt dolls, to Pullips and Blythes.  (And there are probably 50 other types of dolls I haven't described here, because I can only remember so much!) There are some things they don't carry - I don't recall seeing many contemporary porcelain baby dolls (which I personally find hideous, so I don't miss 'em), although they do have some terrific antique ones (which are much cooler).  They're not eager to get on the BJD bandwagon, but they are going to carry Goudreau doll's "American BJD's" (if they ever arrive! I've got one reserved).  Sometimes you'll find stuff they bought from collectors--I found some great Kitty Collier outfits there, that turned out to have come from someone who got them on Ebay. 

They seem to have a good relationship with the doll creators, particularly Tonner and Odom, and are always sponsoring or hosting some event or other.  They're very good about keeping customers in the know--you can have a note added to your file and they'll call you when they get new stuff from whomever you collect.  And they have sales and discounts pretty frequently.  Oh, and when you check out they give you a bag of candy!

So if you're in the Chicago area, and want to be dazzled, you should stop in.