If you journey through the town of Old Harbour in St. Catherine, you may encounter a business that has been woven into the lives of many residents and into the history of the town. Doll’s Variety Store, owned and operated by Dolice Stolz, has been located in Lincoln Plaza for over thirty years, serving both locals and visitors to the area and surrounding communities. The store, which stands as a pillar of entrepreneurial longevity, was established by the now 76-year old who desired to be a dressmaker, but has since expanded to providing handbags, cosmetics, figurines, and fabric.
From dolls to Doll’s Variety Store
Stolz’s journey in the business of creating outfits began at an early age and evolved into a decades-long career. She told Freedom Come Rain that her first attempts at sewing resulted in clothes for her dolls at the age of 8, then into outfits for individuals.
“I didn’t go anywhere to learn sewing. I just practice off as I said dolly baby and then from there I chance it and sew handbags and put applique on it. And then I start to sew blouses which it use a lot of elastic whether you have shape or not it give you shape…one day I said I want a machine and I go to Singer and I buy a machine and I teach myself how to use machine and I go and practice, until I start to taking work for people; sew dresses, uniform etcetra and after that now I decide that I’m going to challenge the public. I rent a little shop and start a business.”
She also stated that, despite her age and a recent illness which required a surgical procedure, her love for her craft has encouraged her to continue the business. She expressed that her long journey as a business owner has often required her to employ her Christian principles.
“You have to hold strong to be a Christian even in the business. Sometimes some people come, and they try to rude…I ignore them because they, you know, they run in [and they feel] they must get served. You must leave others and serve them, and I don’t believe in that. I believe in first come first serve,” she said, “Everybody is equal and everybody money have value, but you have to be strong, patient, and in faith to keep up the business and to hold the Christian banner.”
Using the business to reach lives
Despite these challenges, she says that she has used her business to pour into the lives of others by teaching them how to sew. She also said that she has seen the impact of those lessons in the lives of some of her students, who have since started businesses of their own.
“I teach quite a few young people to sew, and right now I know of three of them on their own,” she said. “Big business, which I feel good about, and they also give their life to God. Different church, different branch, but thank God. It’s not everyone going go my way (church/denomination), but we have to just pray for each other and encourage each other to serve God well.”
Miss Stolz also detailed that since accepting the call to salvation 25 years ago, she has introduced the conversation about Christ to some of her customers.
“I introduce Christ to them and some of them will laugh and some of them will say them soon come and I say ‘Soon? How soon? How early?’ you know. And some will tell me that they visit church, and then I’ll say to that person, ‘Look here, we are getting up in age, and none of us know when God coming, so we have to make sure we make we selection sure.”
