Harlem's first ethnic doll shop, Acres of Diamonds, has officially opened at 371 129th Street on Lenox Ave. Owner Valerie Price says that owning Harlem's first doll shop is pretty unique and exciting because not only does she carry ethnic dolls but she also sells limited edition porcelain dolls. Ms. Price has about sixty dolls, and she plans to increase the number of dolls until the walls of the store are full. Valerie Price did not receive an easy ticket. She has worked on building the store from top to bottom, working seven days a week as a vendor in front of the famous Sylvia's Restaurant. Acres of Diamonds is very unique because every doll is hand made. Prices range from $15 to $700.

The dolls are from all around the world, but mainly from places such as Queens, Africa, the Bronx and Pennsylvania. Some designs originate from Egypt as far back as the year 2000 B.C. Ms. Price has stated that she would like to offer Harlem the beauty of ethnic dolls to remind people of their ancestry. Acres of Diamonds will be explosive over the next five years; Ms. Price is now working with Macy's and also with doll makers from Paris. When asked who inspired her to start this doll shop, Ms. Price said, "none other than Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior." Ironically, Ms. Price did not play with dolls as a girl because of the predominant number of white dolls. Ethnic dolls are very special because they are the sole relationship between a person and their history of creativity.

"It was hard getting to this point of owning my own store but I feel that if you pray and focus anything is possible, " she said. Ms. Price is now carrying a nice colorful rug by the artist named Michael A. Cummings. Her dreams of having Acres of Diamonds become a worldwide phenomenon will soon come true. The dolls have smooth skin with light brown eyes and from slim to husky fits, showing that people of color come in all shapes and sizes. Their clothes are from different parts of the world - from hip-hop gear to the traditional African King's royal robe. Ms. Price hopes to have customers of all races but commonly people of color come to buy her beautiful dolls.

Ms. Price said the name of her store comes from a lecture entitled "Acres of Diamonds" from 1881 given by Russell H. Conwell. It was a true story of a poor farmer who settled in Africa and spent years struggling to raise his crops. He wasn't able to make money off of the land so he sold it for little or nothing and he went in search of diamonds with the money he earn from selling his land. However he didn't do his research. God had given him Acres of Diamonds on the land he had sold. So it means when God places you somewhere you are supposed to research and be confident in where God has placed you.
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