When you open the door to The Valley of the Dolls you enter a fantasy world. From Pullips wearing fishnet tights to Rozen Maidens in elaborate costumes, these are no ordinary dolls. The Blythe dolls wear groovy clothes and stare at you with their very real looking eyes. Add some Gloomy Bears, miniatures, and Japanese plushies and you have found a toy heaven. LAist asked store owner Scot Reyes about designing toys, opening a store in LA, and hard core doll collectors.

LAist: What toys did you play with growing up?

Scot Reyes: 70’s action figures. Like Six Million Dollar Man, Charlie’s Angels...I was a total kid of the 70’s.

You worked at Mattel. What was your job there?

Playset designer. I worked in the Polly Pocket department. I designed the small little sets with secrets and surprises. I have about 75 products on the market. I worked there for about 5 years. (Interview Continued below Photo Gallery)

Valley of the Dolls owner, Scot Reyes, with a Blythe doll collector

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What inspired you to get into the toy business?

It’s a funny story. I was actually working in interior design. One of my customers was the VP of Mattel Barbie worldwide. She took me into Mattel and said, Scot 'I want you to work here. Just tell me what job you want'. She asked me if I would like to design the next Barbie Dream House. The next thing I knew I was on board at Mattel. I designed the Toy of the Year 2003.

What was the toy?

It was a groovy get away jet for Polly Pocket. It’s a jet that transforms into a Hawaiian vacation.

What inspired you to open The Valley of the Dolls? Why did you want to have your own store and get into the Japanese doll business?

I had left Mattel and was working for MGA developed the Bratz Babies for them. I feel that in the US how we approach toy design is that we are not that involved with the user. I really felt that that was missing. I wanted to meet who was buying the toys. I found Pullip dolls when I was doing some research and fell in love with her. The way that she is introduced she doesn’t come with a lot of story line up front so it leaves the imagination really open ended for girls. It gives you more chance for creativity and imagination. That’s what impressed me the most. The design is amazing, the eye winking, the possibility, and she’s beautiful.

What other doll lines do you carry in the store?

We are one of the largest US retailers of Blythe. We also carry Rozen Maiden, Tae Yang & Namu, Ecopitland, Dal, Kewpies, Sunny Angels, J-Doll, and Re-Ment miniatures.

What do you think about the idea that Japanese pop culture and fashion is very popular in LA right now?

I think it has always been popular. LA lends itself to creative people. Cute culture is definitely going on here.

Do you have more adult customers or kid customers?

Online we have mostly adults. The product is developed for 15 years old and older. Since we have opened the shop I have seen much younger kids come in. I love the see the little girls come in here and their faces just light up

Almost every time I have been in the store a very hip grown woman had been in here purchasing a Blythe Doll. Do you have some customers who are hard core Blythe collectors?

We do. Blythe collectors are very different from Pullip. Blythe was created in 1972 went away for awhile and came back in year 2000 with a vengeance. She hit the market again and it has exploded Japan. Here in LA we have a whole underground community of Blythe collectors. I have customers that come in every weekend. I have 18 Blythes at home. I have one customer who claims to have 200.

You are having an in store event June 7. What is happening that day at Valley of the Dolls?

We are having a Re-Ment event. Re-Ment is a line of Japanese miniature furniture and food. It’s all about miniature play. We are having the event of Saturday, June 7 from 2-4pm. Re-Ment International will be here to represent the company. We are going to build a huge doll-house and a miniature size clothing boutique. We will have cupcakes and no one will leave empty handed. We are raffling off a Re-Ment house and other items.

The Valley of the Dolls
8320 Beverly Boulevard, LA 90048
323-944-0881

Re-Ment Event
Saturday, June 7
2:00-4:00pm

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