Shopping Mall

This is my Shopping Mall

I have been working on this for ten years on and off, over the year pretty much all areas have changed to some degree. I guess the biggest change was last year when I added much better lighting. Even though these photos were only taken a few days ago I have made changes and before the dolls go in I'm going to make some more. It's just like a real Mall shops close, shops open. Merchandise gets changed, staff change and of course shoppers are always different.

Now that I have two dolls rooms, this one and my loft I have divided my dolls. This is more because when I post in doll groups (not so much the diorama groups) on Facebook a lot are for Barbie or IT dolls not so many are mixed and the groups get funny with you if you post the 'wrong doll'. So empty dioramas for everyone then I might do a few pic's with the 'other' group dolls. After that I will put in the dolls who will be staying...well for a while. 

So this doll room is for Integrity Toys and my other dolls. In the loft will be Mattel dolls only.

Starting on the ground floor the supermarket, this runs from one side to the other across the back wall with entrance/exit on both sides. 

Floor is lino the 'tiles' are wallpaper samples from local DIY so free.

A lot of the food is from Zuru mini brands or Barbie food.

There is also and entrance to the shopping mall

Some of the shelving I made myself, other shelving is Mattel shelves I have painted or covered.

Oops! The till has been vandalized!

 

Next up the Bank/Post office situated between the supermarket and the food hall

Again the flooring is lino and wallpaper free samples from DIY stores.

Both the bank and post office are Barbie sets that I have painted and/or covered.

I think I need to add some shelving to the back of this otherwise it's just wasted space.

At the end of this first side is the food court

The same flooring was used for the Food Court as the Bank/PO. It has a wide entrance/exit to the Mall and also a door leading out into the 'car park'.

The units are all from a Barbie food court that I have painted and covered

Espresso machine and try of buns are fridge magnets.

I think the tables and chairs are from a McDonalds set? The window looks out onto the road and is opposite the hospital.

Moving along down the middle is the Mall 

Leading off in the distance you can see on the left the entrance to the supermarket and on the right the Bank/Post Office. In the center between these two entrances the public toilets. 

The Main entrance to the Mall is at the front. The floor here is a little different. This is a piece of fake marble used for a fire place base. As always wallpaper free from DIY shop.

On the left as you enter is a Make-up store and a jewelers with the lift in the corner

 

You can see the shoe shop next to the jewelers. 

Flooring here is contact paper and walls again free wallpaper from DIY shop.

The shoe shop is next to the supermarket so we have now gone full circle around the ground floor.

Oh by the way any walls and shelving that you see are all from foam core board.

Moving on to the upper level (using the lift behind the make up department) 

The upper floor is a department store and the only shop on this level.

This view shows you looking down on the lower level as well as the upper level. To your right is the store cafe and to the left the lifts a waiting area and a cash-point.  You can also see the steps leading up to the store.

This is looking from the lifts over to the cafe

Here are the steps and cash point. I still need to add a safety rail all the way around this upper floor but keep changing my mind on how I want it to look. The unit that houses the make up/jewellery/shoe shops  and the lift is a Barbie shopping mall. I would have loved the Barbie Mall with the escalators but could never find in here in UK.

Now we enter the department store, first department has changed many times, Boutique then, lingerie and underwear now sports wear.

Flooring is tile effect wallpaper

Rail unit and display window is a converted Barbie Doll box. The shoe light fitting on the floor is waiting to go up in the shoe shop. 

This is the biggest part of the store, woman's wear.

Flooring is vinyl floor tiles with sticky backs.

Next to the sports wear is the bridal shop

The bouquets and headdresses all made by my mum (she was a florist for 60 years) Clear stands are Integrity Toys stands. The two 'windows' are inners that came with something I brought years ago and I have no idea what it was now!

The chair is a Barbie chair that I re-painted.

 

Moving across to the other side Menswear.

 

Flooring vinyl tiles. Shelving a mix of Barbie and what I made myself all re-painted and/or covered.

Yes, I have a lot of clothing that I have collected over the past 30 plus years.

Last section is the cafe this used to be a children's and toy dept

 

Flooring sticky back vinyl tiles The wooden cabinet is a doll house cabinet

Looking out over the road and hospital

Sofas are from IKEA

Tables I made using coasters for the top and IT stands for the base

I've added a few distance photos to give you a better idea of the overall set-up

Please if you have any questions or want to see close ups of anything feel free to ask.