Hi, Pat & all, I live in Southern Maryland & the only Integrity dolls my Ames carried this year besides the baby & toddler lines was the In Style Jordan & Alejandro which are still on the shelves. None of the "girls". One of our Walmarts occasionally has a couple of Janays from a couple years back. Our Super KMart had NO Integrity dolls AT ALL this year (2001). Our TRU had One case of the Cool Streaks & one case of the Ultra Divas & one case of the In Style Jordan & Alejandro mix, but that was it all year (2001). Since Integrity has its main office in MD, I'm really surprised that we don't see more of the dolls here. I am really disappointed in their "not showing"... What's it like in other parts of the country??? Melissa
I'm in a Northern Virginia suburb of the sprawling Washington metro area. Our Ames store provides an interesting view of dolls, different from Walmart, because Ames seems to be always trying some new doll line to complement Barbie. Walmart doesn't get creative with its doll selections, at all. The local Ames has always included Integrity playline baby dolls but the fashion dolls are expanding with Janay, Alyssa Alejandro. (My K-Mart is too far away for me to watch regularly, but my visit last week there were a few Alyssas and Janays.) As a matter of fact, I'm starting to notice that Ames has cut back a lot of the Barbie doll line and is now carrying another playline called Steffi Love dolls--they don't do much for me, but I always welcome variety to the doll shelf. Problem is, they've started carrying too many of these dolls. They seem like a cheaper-made doll and no imagination with face sculpts and screening or ethnicity.
Integrity's dolls, however, have long been a staple, albeit in small numbers, but present on Ames shelves. Within the year I've noticed the Integrity fashion dolls are slowly increasing visibility and their numbers on the Ames doll shelves. Integrity is a welcome alternative to Barbie because I think it's evident that Integrity can make a doll whose quality
is
comparable to any Barbie and the dolls offer some relief from the
seemingly
all-white dolls on most shelves. I think it's curious that Walmart hasn't put any of Integrity's fashion dolls on its shelves (at least here), but they put Kid Kore on the shelves. It must be their off-brand name of toys and dolls. I'd speculate, that once Walmart discovers Integrity fashion dolls do sell, watching Integrity prove itself a formidable contender to
the
Mattel fashion dolls throne will be a fun match to watch! Is Integrity publicly traded? Regards, Pat Brown