Tiny Doll House NYC: Former lawyer's miniature shop delights visitors, 2 to 92
UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- Bedrooms filled with gowns, pressed shirts, shoes and handbags. Kitchens stocked with fruits, vegetables, bread, butter, cakes and pastries. Gardens in full bloom. All of it exists under one very small roof in a tiny dollhouse world that delights visitors of all ages.
"You just walk in, and it's pure happiness," one visitor said of the shop, where intricate miniature scenes and handcrafted accessories fill every corner. "Everything is so specific in detail. You can tell there's a lot of love put into everything."
Tiny Doll House is home to an eclectic miniature community where artists, witches, wizards, chefs, clowns, fishermen and Victorian-era aristocrats coexist alongside cats and dogs. Another visitor described the shop as a place to find "a mood booster," adding, "99% of the people that come in here are happy."
The shop is curated by a former lawyer whose interest in dollhouses began with a gift for his niece nearly four decades ago.
"37 years ago, I decided to build a dollhouse for my niece," Leslie Edelman said. "Next thing I knew, I was, like, fascinated."
Asked how he transitioned from law to dollhouses, he replied, "I was always creative, so it's the creativity moving forward."
He said his passion grew beyond the craft itself.
"I fell in love with just dealing with people," he said. After purchasing the shop from its previous owners, he dedicated himself to the business. "Here I am now."
Located on East 78th Street in New York City, Tiny Doll House has become a destination for visitors spanning generations. When asked about the average age of customers, Edelman said, "It goes from 2 to 92. Everything in between."
He especially enjoys watching young customers shop with their own savings.
"It's cute to watch because they become very stingy. It's like they spend their own money," he said.
The shop also inspires memories and personal projects. Customers often share stories about childhood toys or dreams of recreating family spaces in miniature form.
"Oh, I had this when I was a little girl," Edelman recalled hearing from visitors. Others say, "Oh, I want to recreate my grandmother's kitchen." He added, "Everybody's got a different story."
The inventory includes nearly every miniature item imaginable, from toilet paper to tiny baked goods. The owner said the accessories are handmade. "Every piece of food that you see, every toy, everything is done by hand."
Visitors say the shop stands out for its unusual selection and attention to detail.
"This is so unique because you're not going to find something like this anywhere else," one customer said. Another praised New York's collection of hidden gems, calling the store one of them.
Edelman said he has no regrets about leaving the legal profession behind.
"No, no. I love, love, love what I do," he said. "I smile when I come in every morning, and I play Louis, and I move things around, and I get lost in this world."
For him, the world of miniatures remains a source of daily inspiration.
"I think I'm very lucky in that I'm able to do what I love," he said. "There's nothing tiny about that."
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