Rescue 911

So I came across a great find today. While LM isn't quite old enough yet to have any truly cherished plushies, nor will he ever have a beloved doll to tote around, (at least we don't think so. :) ) I couldn't help but rejoice in this little stack of doll rescue services that were rounded up on Stroller Traffic this morning for possible future use.

If only these had been around, or had my mother known about them, when my brother decided that my BELOVED Emily was too cold in my grandmother's basement and decided that she needed to warm up on the radiator, my childhood love could have had a fighting chance. This "solution" that my brother concocted up resulted in her back catching fire and most of her head melting off, which resulted in my first full blown panic attack of epic proportions.  My mother's valiant effort to try and patch her up, quite literally with a mishmash of iron-on patches on her back, did help to soothe the burn (no pun intended) for both Emily and myself. Sadly though not much could be done with her half melted head.

So in honor of Emily, I'm reposting these great sources here in hopes of no other dolls having to suffer such a horrid fate ever again. And if they do, have faith that help is just a short call away.

R.I.P Emily.

The Doll Hospital & Toy Soldier Shop is one of the oldest in the country, with five restorers and more than 100 years of doll restoration experience among them. Services include everything from patching leather body parts to restyling hair to cleaning, repairing, and restoring plushies. President Stacey Zagrodzki says broken limbs are the most common injury, though she sees a lot of bald dolls—hair shorn by scissor-wielding toddlers (they can re-implant hair). Evaluations are free, and in their 60 years of operation, they've never met a doll they couldn't fix. Visit the site for instructions on how to mail in a toy for repair.

The Doll Hospital & Toy Soldier Shop
3947 12 Mile Road
Berkley, Michigan 48072
248.543.3115
Dollhospital.com
 

The Madame Alexander Doll Company store, with more than 600 dolls and sets inspired by Eloise and Little Women, has its own hospital, where dolls of any lineage (not just Madame Alexander dolls) can be brought for repair. Hospital staff work Tuesday through Friday, from 9am to 4pm; appointments are not required for evaluations. Cost of repair is based on the damage, but an example of the cost for rejoining an 8 inch doll is $30, and larger dolls slightly more.
 
Madame Alexander Doll Company
615 West 131st Street
212.283.5900
madamealexander.com 

 

While the American Girl Doll Hospital is equipped to handle the worst of injuries (re-attaching a head is $14), not all doll repairs require major surgery. Owners can opt for a "wellness visit," during which a doll's skin is cleaned and hair brushed—and the doll is returned in a hospital gown with a certificate. The cost is $14, plus $6.95 shipping. Doll ear piercings are in the offering, too. They'll work on non-American Girl dolls as well; most repairs take two to three weeks.

American Girl Doll Hospital
609 Fifth Avenue
877.247.5223
americangirlplace.com