Page 14 - Leisure Living

The Castle Of Dreams -
For The Kid In All Of us
By JD Noll, Feature Writer
It’s a store and a museum all pack- aged into one “girlie adventure” for the young and young at heart.
was an Alice in Wonderland tea party. The possibilities are endless. From the Barbie website, Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mat- tel toys and creator of Barbie® felt that little girls could be anything they wanted. Handler wanted to convey through Barbie that girls have choices. Indeed. The Castle of Dreams offers those alternatives, if
Opened in November 2014, the
business is owned by Sande and Paul
Gottron. Raised in Fremont, Sande
has been an avid collector of Barbie®
dolls since 1991 when she received
her first Barbie for Christmas at age
35 and every year thereafter. Now,
on vacations and every chance she
gets, she searches toy shows and flea
markets looking for more. Togeth-
er, the Gottrons decided to open a
shop where the dolls could be dis-
played and enjoyed by others. With
the help of her contractor husband
they built “the castle” on their property. “It’s been our hobby together and an amazing journey,” Sande says.
Complete with two exterior turrets, the out- side is steel grey and stone, but the inside is warm and colorful. The walls overflow with vintage and collectible toys assembled into whimsical dis- plays.
Having worked for Hallmark and several other retailers, Sande says, “I’ve always enjoyed decorating.” Paying homage to the most popu- lar doll in the world, the rooms and displays are filled with Barbie® memorabilia. Visitors are en- tertained with Frozen® characters and other Dis- ney personalities. In addition to adults, the shop also offers parties for children. Luncheons and Tea Parties as well as slumber and birthday par- ties can be arranged for special celebrations. “We usually request fewer than 8 children so we can have fun and make each child feel special,” Sande emphasizes. But, don’t think parties are just for kids - moms, grandmothers and girlfriends are booking time, too.
Inside the castle, is the classic museum where vintage Barbie’s are artistically displayed; a real cupcake kitchen with a purple ceiling; a dress- ing room for changing into costumes; a mermaid bathroom with vintage Raggedy Ann’s; an Amer- ican Girl ballerina bedroom; and, the Peacock Theatre room for movie parties. Parents have several options for designing the perfect party around what their child enjoys. The first party Sande hosted was for her granddaughter and it
14 |LeisureLiving July 2015
only for a few fantasy moments. The novel retail store offers candy and birthday cards along with an assortment of gift items and gift wrapping. Not to be ex- cluded, dads are always welcome, too. Sande says, “Men get excited when they see the Barbie® collections of Nascar and John Deere in addition to Harley Davidson, Terminator and James Bond girls.” Some vin- tage Barbie’s include the movie collections from My Fair Lady, Wizard of Oz and Beauty and the Beast. Even Ken gets decked out as Frank Sinatra
in one display.
This year watch for special private collections
to arrive and a nutcracker themed Christmas cel- ebration.
Sande emphasizes, “Come in for a visit, shop, take pictures and enjoy just being a kid.”
The Castle of Dreams, 4299 W. Fremont Rd. (Rt.53), Port Clinton,
Sande Gottron
OH 43452, phone 419.341.9836.
The Castle of Dreams can also be found on Facebook under the same name. When you “Like” it you will be notified of all updates and announcements.
The cupcake kitchen and the mermaid bathroom at The Castle of Dreams.
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