We live here in Gahanna and we like Gahanna. We wanted to open the store where we lived, and there’s no other store like this.
That there’s no other store like this may be an understatement. After more than 50 years of collecting, Beatrice and Ray Gruenther have put their treasures, including extraordinary compendiums of Hummel figurines and Steiff stuffed animals, on display. The bears, figurines, dolls and other collectibles are for sale at Oh My! Bears Dolls and More, located at the Village Square at Cherry Bottom, 1392 Cherry Bottom Road.
Collecting has been in Beatrice’s family for as long as she can remember. “My grandmother was a collector. She had a mini-store in Flint, Michigan during the depression, at Smith-Bridgeman’s. She sold Annalee [dolls], Hummels….and so I just got into it. I got started listening to my mother and grandmother. I just enjoy it.”
When she and Ray married and moved to Germany where he was stationed, her collecting took off. Beatrice even worked for Goebel (Hummel) for a few years while in Germany, and organized flea markets to fund military housing. She still has the patches created to commemorate those events. The Hummel collection now boasts enough pieces it could cover an entire wall in the store. Meanwhile, among the Steiff stuffed animals are two complete Noah’s ark sets, a circus set and an 8’ tall giraffe. Annalee dolls are one of the few American artist collections, and the Gruenthers display them thematically. Besides the large assemblies of Steiff, Hummel and Annalee, the store features dolls, porcelain, glassware, and baskets. Makers include Royal Doulton, Belleek, Silpada, CharlieBeras, Barbie, Pendelfin, Shelly and others. Vintage and limited first editions are common.
Ray was transferred back to the states 33 years ago. The two chose to live and raise their family in Gahanna for its schools and quality of life. Beatrice continued to collect and trade, attending flea markets and looking for items wherever and whenever they traveled. But after cycling through the items several times, she decided to open a business of her own and share these hidden gems with the Gahanna community. “Everything in here I have enjoyed. And I still enjoy,” she stresses.
That might hard to believe, given the sheer volume of objects lining the shelves, and the fact that the couple has even more items in storage. There is no room for consignment in the business model. Yet, the enjoyment is evident in the care they take maintaining and displaying the pieces, and the knowledge Beatrice and Ray can share about each one. They are practically docents. Referring to a pink glassware set, Beatrice notes that it was made in England in 1836. Regarding a Hummel figurine, Ray explains that it is marked “Made in Germany” on the bottom, indicating manufacture prior to WWII, and that it was produced in pieces and then bound together.
Beatrice especially delights in sharing the art of collecting with customers. “You buy it because you like it, because it means something to you, not because you think it’s going to appreciate in value,” she proclaims. She demonstrates the tenet with a story. Earlier in the month, a little girl came into the store with her father. She homed in on a Barbie doll, not wishing to consider others. Beatrice asked why the girl wanted that particular doll. ’Because she looks like my mommy,’ she replied. It is that kind of connection and excitement the Gruenthers hope to share with all their customers. “I have something for everyone,” asserts Beatrice. Oh My! Bears Dolls & More is open from 11 – 5 daily and closed on Sundays and holidays.
Caption Giraffe: Ray Gruenther stands next to Twigga, an 8’ tall Steiff giraffe who was shipped over from Germany.
Caption: Beatrice Gruenther continues to enjoy her collection every day, even as she sells individual items in her store.
Caption: Annalee bendable felt-bodied dolls with were made by American dollmaker Barabara Annalee Thorndike (nee Davis).