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Virtual
DOLLS
'Where Doll Collectors Gather' |
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A Welcome to Dawn Dolls!
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DOLLeClub
Introducing the Dawn DOLL eClub! Dawn Dolls are on their way here at VirtualDOLLS and we are excited to bring you a special interview with Dawn's newest fan, CEO Sharon John, from Checkerboard Toys.  What a great time for Dawn to make a come back! Right in the middle of a 70's craze where miniskirts, hip huggers, "happy faces", the flower-power and hippie chic are as popular now as they were when Dawn first hit the scene. There is even a popular prime-time TV show all about the 1970's! Vintage Dawn doll is a quality and an affordable collectable fashion doll that is quickly gaining momentum in the secondary market. Part of the appeal of Dawn is her petite size compared to other fashion dolls, her detailing such as rooted eyelashes and her numerous vintage fashions that are as stylish today as they were when they were introduced in the early 1970's. It's also just in time to celebrate her 30th Anniversary with her first doll in 28 years! But that is just the beginning, there will continue to be groovy stuff for the Dawn Collectibles line including Commemorative fashions, Dawn's friends and other limited edition dolls like the following: 
Coming: March 20, 2001Dawn's friend's ANGIEŽ, GLORIŽ and DALEŽ will be just as groovy as Dawn in their vintage mod fashions and pop-art Collectors' display box. Each will come with their signature rooted eyelashes, doll stand and certificate of authenticity. Limited Quantities. Find out more with these resources: DAWN IN PRINT: Dawn and Her World, A Collectors Guide, by Joedi Johnson, Cattpigg Press 1995. DAWN ON THE WEB: There are over 25 dedicated web sites to Dawn and Her World created and maintained by collectors and numerous more doll and fashion doll sites with pages or sections about Dawn. See Topper Towers Dawn's Virtual Apartment Building! So, it really is a NEW DAWN! Join us in the celebration! A New Dawn: Exclusive Interview with CEO, Sharon John of Checkerboard Toys. |
VirtualDOLLS EXCLUSIVE
Our Interview with Sharon John, CEO, Checkerboard Toys Our exclusive interview with Sharon John, CEO of Checkerboard Toys. We find out more about Dawn's new future in detail. You can also order your new 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Dawn directly from the site, get one now as the production run is limited! Visit Dawn Today! > Tell us about Checkerboard Toys.... when started/launched? Set up the company in July or so of 1999; Bought the Dawn brand in December of 1999; I quit my job at VTech in June of 2000 to focus on the business. > What challenges initially faced? Getting the Dawn brand; Re-tooling and creating the product; determining the right sell-in strategy (getting her on-shelf) > Web site design issues... any struggles or victories? This was fun, we used a company called Websites 2000 and I "designed" each page like an art director would and they executed it beautifully...we are still building on pages including a media page and a page that tells where Dawn is available > Company details? I am the only official employee, but my husband works part time. Everything is out sourced, order taking, warehousing, fulfillment, development, packaging/graphics, manufacturing, sales... > Other Checkerboard toy lines carried or planned? We are planning on expanding the Dawn line on the collector side first, then, if that goes well, we are planning on launching a little girls line. Following that I have a lot of ideas! > All the details you'd like to have our members and site visitors know about...Tell us about DAWN!!! What inspired her resurrection? I really loved Dawn when I was little. When I was home on maternity leave my husband and I were kinda of play brainstorming about what type of company we would start if we started a company. He said we should start a toy company because of my experience and contacts in the industry. I said that's true but I wouldn't want to do it from scratch - I would need a brand - even one I could resurrect and something that I was passionate about. Then I thought of Dawn. Where was she? So many other toys I had played with when I was young were still here (Barbie) or had made a comeback (Kiddles, Easy Bake Oven, Mr. Potato Head). What about Dawn? So I did some research and found out what a big following she had and how BIG she was in the 1970s. I told my husband if he could get the Dawn brand I would do it. He hired an intellectual property lawyer and the rest is history. > what was the inspiration for the tag line, 'The Most Beautiful Doll in the World'? That is not my tag - that was the tag for Dawn in the 1970s - and its quite a claim but we re-trademarked it with our lawyers advice and I think its GREAT! > what goodies will she come with? 30th Anniversary Dawn comes with everything that made her so popular in the 1970s including her "original" mod fashion (with underware!), rooted eyelashes, a doll stand in a replica of her best selling package. But wait, there's more! She also comes with a collector's display package and a certificate of authenticity. > Will she have green knees this time around? (We hate to mention this but...) No, they were caused by the use of copper wires in her leg mechanism - we couldn't use that even if we wanted to due to toy safety regulations. > hey, how about the BEAUTY PAGEANT stuff? Is that on the horizon? other fun accessories? the telephones? That all depends on how successful we are with the core products and how many we really think we could sell. Those are very expensive products to make due to the high tooling cost. > Company DAWN direction: will there be more? What about Dawn's friends? YES, ANGIE, GLORI and DALE are already tooled and on the way for spring! Clothing sets, etc. > Tell us about your personal history with the Dawn Doll? I had two Dawns and Angie and a fashion (Bluebelle) > Your doll collecting history? Don't really collect. I have moved around entirely too much to have a collection of anything! I have quite a few Barbie's though just from working on the business. >Want to license? Yes, we have already started discussions > Rise to CEO at Checkerboard Toys? Really, there was no "rise" I am CEO and CBO (chief bottle washer). But I have done quite a bit to prepare me for the job! (Sharon has worked in the industry for many years, including Mattel, and most recently with VTech) > Your future ambitions? We have two or three strategies we could realistically explore - it all depends on the success of these first few dolls. > Your family? Husband, Russ (married 5 years in April), daughter Rachael ( 2 year old on November 29) > Your hobbies (given your limited free time, I imagine!) Right now my work is my hobby - I do enjoy the business of making and selling dolls and toys. I like the joy it brings to people. I am also passionate about kids, especially making sure little girls are encouraged to reach for their dreams without the influences of society that try so hard to put them in a box - That is part of the reason for this company... > Your favorite charity? I can't say this is my "favorite" charity but we do support different organizations that a searching for a cure for cancer or that provide guidance/relief for cancer patients and victims. You know that my mom (succumbed this year) after a long battle with cancer. We set up a fund for her as well. |
