April 14, 2001 – "As a young girl, I loved to play with dolls. As I became older, I turned my hobby into a business." So boasts Esther Frett, owner/manager of the House of Dolls shop in Cruz Bay.
Of Trinidadian and Guyanese heritage, Frett is a two-year resident of St. John who opened her unique store a couple of months ago. Her husband, Jerry, is co-owner of the business, located in the Raintree courtyard, which caters to both locals and tourists. Her 20-year-old daughter sometimes helps in the shop.
"Easter and Mother's Day are my biggest seasons for local customers," Frett says in the final flurry of shopping for the former.
Most of the one-of-a-kind Caribbean dolls in her shop are original designs, "all hand sewn by me," Frett says. Her inventory also includes tropical gift items, souvenirs and island clothing.
Frett, who started learning to knit at the age of 9, is a former home-care nurse. She says her current career is a spin-off from that one: "I used to amuse my clients by knitting dolls for them. Before I knew it, I was receiving requests and orders for more."
She crafts many of her dolls from banana leaves. They "are very popular, but it is a labor-intensive chore involving preserving, drying, and working with the leaves," she says.
