Would you go to a physical BJD store?

Absolutely!!! I really enjoy seeing the dolls in person, whether it is just a window shopping or actually bringing one home. I think being in a room full of dolls is simply entertaining and gives you a sense of fantasy. Love physical stores!

 

There's a physical store not far from me, but it's part of a doll section in an antique store. I'd love to go to a store that has a selection of dolls from various manufacturers, as I'd like to compare the body types before I decide on my next doll. I'd also love to have more shoes to try on my current little girl - so many shoes are huge on her feet.

 

Would you go to it?
Most definitely

What would you expect to find there?
Dolls on display, accessories, and perhaps some other imported dolls/toys.

Would you be fine with it having other hobbies in there too?
Sure, I know BJDs are very specific so I would expect other similar hobbies to be included.

If you have been to a physical bjd store, how was it??
I've never been to one, but I'm sure I will in the future.

 

I would love to go to a BJD store, as Fachtna above said, so that I could see what I am buying. I've had some bad luck with buying wigs online. Either the color isn't as shown in the pics, or it doesn't fit my doll's head. It's expensive and time consuming to have to return things or resell them.

 

Yes. Absolutely! It's easier to see the dolls or clothes or any items in person because it's dissapointing when the items bought are not as described or as good as you saw on the screen. Also buying online takes forever to wait and the shipping is expensive too. If only there's a BJD store in my place i'd be more than happy to go.

 

Would you go to it?
Yes! That would be amazing.

What would you expect to find there?
ABJD and other BJD types. Clothes, wigs, stringing supplies and faceup supplies.

What would you want it to have?
All of the above.

Would you be fine with it having other hobbies in there too?
Of course! I have lots of hobbies anyway.

If you have been to a physical bjd store, how was it??
No never. The closest has been a bjd convention sales room.

 

Would you go to it? Yes indeed!

What would you expect to find there?
BJDs of course and lots of other lovely accessories and related items (such as imported fabrics) for those of us who like to sew for our dolls. It might be nice to have a custom order service for clothing too, so dolls which are harder to shop for can have something specifically made for them (you could take them along to get them measured up and pick your fabrics).

What would you want it to have?
Variety in terms of the types of dolls available. It might also be a nice idea to have a meet room there with a connected coffee/eatery type place!

Would you be fine with it having other hobbies in there too?
Yes definitely

If you have been to a physical bjd store, how was it??
I've Never has the opportunity to go to one :'(

 

I hope there are some near the bay area
I'd love to go to one. I'm currently saving up for a couple of dolls and would love to buy them clothes and accessories and other stuff from a physical bjd store.

 

If you had a physical store devoted to BJD in your area:

Would you go to it?
Absolutely!

What would you expect to find there?
Accessories, eyes, wigs, maybe shoes ... I don't care much for buying doll clothes, but I'd expect to see some. Supplies, too.

What would you want it to have?
Personally, I'd look for random stuff - little props and things, or maybe if I had a new doll take them along so I could see how a particular eye colour suits them or see a wig in person before buying it just to chuck it if it doesn't look right. But as I make both eyes and wigs myself those are low priority. Then I'd love it to carry DIY stuff - faceup and modding supplies, restringing tools, that kind of thing. (Which reminds me, I have a doll on order and I'm all out of my favorite eyelashes. If I had a store nearby, I'd definitely go there rather than order online.)
It would be great to be able to look at dolls in person, but given the cost of BJDs I wouldn't expect a store to have full dolls in stock.

Would you be fine with it having other hobbies in there too?
Sure. Depends slightly on the hobby in question, but if there is any kind of overlap it makes sense to combine things. I'd be absolutely fine with them carrying fashion dolls or ponies or anything people like to customize, if it meant they'd also be carrying the supplies needed for customization. Actually, I'd prefer that to a BJD-only store with a focus on clothes and things solely meant for BJD.

If you have been to a physical bjd store, how was it??
I haven't been to a store as such, but I've seen stores' booths at Dolliverse ... having one of those nearby (read: closer than the 200+km from here to the Netherlands) would seriously rock.

 

Oh man, if there was an actual BJD shop I could go to in my area...I would probably never leave! And I'd beg them to let me work there. haha. I'd love to see new and secondhand dolls there, plus it'd probably be easier to get clothes and props, etc, for them. (And not have to pay a boatload in shipping!) It'd be cool if there were workshop like things too, for faceups and such. And maybe monthly meetups there too! That'd be awesome. X3

 

I would most defenitely go to a physical BJD store if there was one in Sweden!

I would expect to find eyes, wigs and outfits in a range of sizes and some actual dolls as well.

 

Oh yes, absolutely! Though it would be very bad for my wallet...

 

I would love to go to an actual BJD store!
I would expect to find plenty of accessories and clothing there, but I would also think it would be neat if the store stocked blank dolls and parts, but I wouldn't expect it to stock fullsets. Maybe for limited dolls? ><

As for other hobbies, I think it would be nice to have supplies for them if it can also relate to the doll hobby. Such as paints, yarn, metal wire, fabrics, etc.

 

... fabrics! That would be something. Doll weight fabrics and scaled trims and tiny closures and stuff

 

Would you go to it?
Most definitely! That would be awesome!

What would you expect to find there?
I would like to see sample dolls, clothes, shoes, wigs, and eyes from different companies. Also, popular dolls and items in stock would be nice, but totally not even necessary as long as there are samples.
Knowledgeable staff that is immersed in this community.

What would you want it to have?
Especially as a newbie, it's hard to understand the scale of all of the different BJDs out there, so sample clothes, shoes, wigs, eyes. Especially samples of sizes from different companies and partnerships with etsy shops. I find it hard to find the right fit for my dolls. I haven't been able to find the perfect iris size either after all this time, so having a physical shop would make this hobby so much LESS frustrating!


Would you be fine with it having other hobbies in there too?
Definitely! Give me a run of the mill hobby store with BJD items in there and at least one knowledgeable staff member and I'll be ecstatic.

If you have been to a physical bjd store, how was it??
Nope. I wish!

 

Yes! I would love to go to a physical store. I've actually been trying to find a physical store close enough to where I live to visit. I would love to be able to physically see dolls, clothing, accessories, and anything else the store carries. It would be a nice change of pace to be able to physically see and touch something before committing to buy it. xD

 

Would you go to it?
Of course! The most frustrating part of the hobby is shipping times, for me, and being able to see (and possibly try) before you buy is a huge draw.

What would you expect to find there?
Dolls for sale, of course- since so many people prefer to choose in person- and all the accouterments: wigs, eyes, clothing, maintenance supplies, etc.

Would you be fine with it having other hobbies in there too?
Yes, because there's so often an overlap. I've noticed that doll stores that include other hobby supplies also tend to attract customers who wouldn't normally go into a store dedicated solely to dolls, which would help bring in more customers overall.

If you have been to a physical bjd store, how was it??
I've been to two Volks stores (TnS in LA and in Ginza, both sadly closed). I've also been to a few branches of Mandarake.

What I liked the most about the Volks stores was the atmosphere. They're very boutiquey, but there's also an emphasis on the customizable/DIY aspect of doll ownership, which fits the feel of this luxury hobby perfectly. Both of the stores were fairly small, but the space was still open and everything was displayed and presented attractively. Everything for sale was a little pricey, of course, but in that setting it didn't feel overpriced. You had the added benefit of being able to try wigs, clothes, shoes, etc. on your own dolls so you could be sure they were just right. Volks Ginza also had a small section for 'dealer' and indie brand goods, which was a nice touch, because it gave you options for clothing and props in styles that Volks might not sell.

The other thing I liked about the Volks stores was that it was a really low-pressure environment to mingle with other doll hobbyists, because in most settings you aren't really likely to encounter them. I know a lot of people in this hobby get frustrated about how hard it is to meet new doll friends offline- having a (reasonably close) physical store motivates people to visit, and congregate, and socialize with each other.

Mandarake, meanwhile, is a general hobby store with a small section devoted to dolls. The service is definitely a lot less personal and the setting doesn't feel as 'luxurious', but that's not always a bad thing. Most of Mandarake's dolls and doll items seem to be consignment, so it can be a crapshoot when it comes to the condition of the items, but on average it means lower prices and a second chance at buying something you missed out on the first time it came up for sale. It was nice to be able to see such a wide range of dolls and goods from different companies, and again, you got to see everything and inspect it in person before committing to buy.

 

Would you go to it?
Yep!

What would you expect to find there?
Dolls, clothes, wigs, various accessories/props, hobby supplies (I'm lookin' at you MSC!), and maybe some books on the hobby

What would you want it to have?
All of the above and maybe some other semi-related products (model kits/Gunpla I guess?)

Would you be fine with it having other hobbies in there, too?
Yep! See above.

 

I travel to Japan yearly for work (my husband and I have an online anime collectibles store called AnimeCoast.com and sell at conventions). In 2013 I discovered an amazing shop in Akihabara -sadly when I went back this year they had closed down. The shop had 4 floors, each one selling a different kind of collectible. The fourth floor was the doll and BJD level and I found 2 Unoa boys used, what I think is a Doll Zone boy and a Tae Yang. It would be a dream come true for such a physical shop to exist in San Diego. If you open a store, an awesome idea is to have a showcase section where collectors can rent out display cases and sell their second hand BJDs and accessories. I would also happily support a shop that sells anime PVC statues and figures. We would love to open a physical store as well, but of course the rent in San Diego is horrendous and the collector fan base isn't as strong as Los Angeles. Best of luck, hope your dream is realized some day!!

 

One of the big reasons I want to go to Japan is to get to go into all the physical doll stores there. For examples, I'm getting a Volks and I'd love to be able to go into the store and see all the outfits and stuff.