When your treasured doll or teddy bear needs care, selecting the right person to do the work isn’t just a practical decision, it’s an emotional one. These cherished items hold powerful memories, and the hands that restore them should do more than fix—they should understand. Here at Gigi’s Dolls and Sherry’s Teddy Bears Doll Hospital, we’ve seen firsthand how meaningful restoration can be. And we know how important it is to place your trust in someone who honors the sentimental and historical value behind every stitch and brushstroke.
Why the Right Hands Matter
A Restoration Is a Relationship
Bringing a doll in for restoration isn’t just about cosmetic changes. It’s about entrusting someone with a piece of your past or family legacy. That’s why restoration is more than a transaction—it’s a relationship built on communication, understanding, and care. The right expert will not only have the technical skills to perform the repair, but also the empathy to appreciate what the dolls means to you. Whether it’s a childhood keepsake, a family heirloom, or a collector’s prized piece, it deserves to be handled with reverence and attention to detail.
How Experience Shows
Skill doesn’t happen overnight. Quality restoration takes years to master, especially when dealing with antique materials, fragile parts, or historically accurate designs. At Gigi’s, we’ve been working with dolls of every type for decades—and that experience shows in every project we take on. From restringing composition dolls to repainting tiny porcelain faces, each material brings its own challenges. The ability to confidently and respectfully restore a wide variety of dolls—porcelain, vinyl, cloth, composition, and more—comes only with time, practice, and a deep love of the craft.
What to Look for in a Doll Hospital
In-House Services vs. Outsourcing
Not all restoration services are alike. Some shops send work out to third-party repair specialists. Others offer only limited fixes. At Gigi’s Dolls and Sherry’s Teddy Bears, all our restoration is done in-house. That means you can speak directly with the people doing the work, ask questions, and follow your doll’s progress from start to finish. In-house service allows for consistency, transparency, and quality control. It also means that your doll isn’t being boxed up and shipped off again—something especially important when dealing with fragile or one-of-a-kind items.
Range of Services Offered
Another key consideration is what the expert can actually do. Ask to find out if they can handle both cosmetic and structural work. Do they offer restringing, repainting, clothing repair, and hair styling? What about cleaning, stain removal, or part replacement? A truly skilled restorer offers a wide range of services and can assess which ones are appropriate for each doll. We pride ourselves on offering comprehensive care, from simple repairs to full-scale restoration, and customizing every approach based on what the doll needs.
Questions to Ask Before Committing
Assessment, Timeline, Communication
Before moving forward with a restoration, don’t be afraid to ask questions. A trustworthy expert will welcome them. Ask them about their experience, what they see was the best course of action, and how long the work is likely to take. You should also feel comfortable discussing your priorities. Some customers want a doll restored to look brand new, while others prefer to keep signs of age that add character. Clear communication ensures you and the restorer are aligned—and that the results reflect your hopes for the piece.
Handling Sentimental or Fragile Pieces
If your doll is particularly fragile or emotionally significant, ask how it will be handled and stored during the restoration process. A true professional will understand the emotional weight of a piece is just as real as its physical condition. It’s not unusual for customers to bring in dolls with handwritten notes, old photographs, or memories attached. Those details help guide respectful, meaningful restoration.
Where Sentiment Meets Skill
Why Gigi’s Dolls & Sherry’s Bears Has Been Trusted for Decades
Our Doll Hospital stands apart because we approach every restoration with equal parts skill and heart. With decades of hands-on experience, we know how to navigate the challenges of vintage materials, match colors and texture by eye, and apply traditional techniques with care. But more than that, we know how much these dolls mean to the people who bring them in. We’ve restored just about everything you can imagine, from teddy bears with threadbare paws to dolls missing their original dresses. We don’t rush and we never generalize. We take our time to understand your piece and return it to you as close to whole as possible.
Connecting Customers with Their Memories
Ultimately, a successful restoration is about more than appearance—it’s about connection. That moment when a customer sees a familiar face again, when a doll looks the way it did in their childhood bedroom, or when a grandparent passes down a beloved toy to the next generation—that’s what makes this work matter.
Here at Gigi’s Dolls and Sherry’s Teddy Bears, we believe that we’re the expert you should choose for doll repair and restoration. We’ve been running our doll hospital for decades, are willing to answer any questions, and are life-long doll lovers that are committed to providing exactly what your treasured item requires. Contact us today to start the process of having your treasures repaired or restored.
