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LaSouris Profile
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Registered: 06-2010
Posts: 373
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Applewood Department Store


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I’m in love! This is the most amazing house ever! It’s not only a great building, it also comes with tons and tons of accessories. I’ve spent four hours setting it up, pure fun, and it felt like half an hour emoticon

I so want to write this review on my favourite SF item (forget the Pizza Parlour! It’s nice but compared to that… well). Take some tea or a hot chocolate, because my reviews tend to get long. But you will know everything about it afterwards if you consider getting it too!

The box is quite flat and large and you first think that it must be very small to fit in there. But in fact, first and second floor are packed side by side so when you set them up, you get a really nice building.

It’s great you can take both floors apart because the department store is quite deep and when you want to play downstairs, it’s almost impossible to get your hand in without make everything fall off. However, I think the suggestion of the Applewood Cottage on top is horrible. It “crashes” the proportions with its huge roof, and a house for living on top with a huge door going out into nowhere is just weird. It could be nice NEXT to the Department Store because of the colors, but not on top.

Because you can take the two floors of the department store apart, there are also two doors upstairs, but the one on the oriel is well hidden and the one on the other side (it’s on the side, that’s good) is ok too because I put this side to the wall so I don’t see it. However, there’s a small step inside in front of this door, this is quite annoying if you want to put some furniture in front if you don’t use the door.

So downstairs you have a nice entrance with with pink steps and a pretty display window with a shelf. At the moment, I put everything up as on the package, so there are some toys and an orange dress on a mannequin (the dress is far worse quality that the usual SF clothes). That’s it for the fashion store, everything else is a toy shop.

There are many really nice toys, even books that hold better together than in any other set I’ve seen. I really like the ribbon or deco tape rollers attached to the wall, they are so sweet! There’s also a basket full of baby clothes, and some kid’s clothes on hangers on the wall. I haven’t found out yet what the white hat should be. A sweet detail is the hanger next to the door where you can leave your purse. Where else than in Sylvania you could do that?  There’s a real form box with lid to open and the most amazing toy is a little carriage with tiny bunnies that jump when you push it. The large mobile was annoying to set up because it doesn’t stay together well. And there are the tiniest SF items ever, a set of baby cutlery.

The shopping cart has a baby seat and there’s a ramp to roll down, nice idea but it takes up quite some precious space. Some toys are lain out on a simple table, it’s also a bit large for the little space there is and it doesn’t look so much like a shop.

The Juice Bar is very nice, well, I like cafés and restaurants emoticon I love the different glasses for the different juices, they have such a choice. There is also a shaker, some pitchers and bottles. I love the take away window with the window pane, it looks great. There are shelves with some additional space. The cash register (both in fact, there’s another one upstairs) are plain and they could have added stickers with the payment on them (I will take care of that myself).

There’s a tiny set of table and chairs for the small patio. It looks nice though and the tiny table is ok for the high juice glasses. I think it’s very nice you can access the patio not only through the inside of the department store but also from outside on the side of the building, there are some stairs.

I like this part of the department store very much, but I prefer a little bit the first floor, Pippin’s Café (who’s this btw, do we know? I thought a mouse would be a great Pippin emoticon) I guess it’s because in general it’s more detailed and better quality (the lamps/lanterns show the difference) than downstairs. Maybe downstairs is an older SF set and the first floor an all-new thing?

So, for Pippin himself you get a waiter’s uniform. It’s very good quality, with a collar and a tie.

The shelves are light blue. This scared me first but now that I put everything together it looks very nice. One has a sink, and they are spacious, drawers to fill and shelves with mats for the dishes and board with knife. There’s a large counter with plenty of shelves for everything, like the coffee-machine and coffee- and tea-boxes. The table is the same like the BBQ set table, just brown, and with a hole for the parasol. The chairs are very large, unfortunately they take up a lot of space.

The ice creams are the most amazing, especially the mint sorbet is so cute. There are cups, spoons, forks, napkins and holders, menus and holders, cream dispensers, placemats, coasters, incredible! They thought about every single little detail. This is why I love it! I’m not sure if the cover of the menu isn’t wrong, it looks like it’s read from the right to the left.

I added BOTH the Delightful Donut Shop AND the Dessert Counter to the café, and it fits in! It was a little bit tricky to arrange it and there isn’t much space left, but it looks great and I hope I can post a picture soon. So my sweet Sylvanians don’t only get ice cream at the café, but also donuts and cakes!

There’s an additional table with two chairs, enough placemats and everything else necessary for outside. With a parasol. There’s also a parasol stand in case you want to put up the parasol alone.

I put the BBQ table next to it, it’s cute with the different colored parasol.

The price of the set is ok because you don’t only get the building but also all the accessories.

I have to add that it’s not really a department store. It’s a toy shop with two cafés. No fashion, no groceries, no gift shop or anything else that you would imagine first in a department store.

As I said, I enlarged the department store on the back with the grocery store, and I will do so with the gift shop as well. In front of the department store, I put up my Street Market crepe stand. This is my Sylvanian market place for now!


Last edited by LaSouris, 9/16/2010, 3:13 am
9/8/2010, 9:49 am Link to this post Send Email to LaSouris   Send PM to LaSouris Blog
 
lostmymarblz Profile
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Legend

Registered: 03-2007
Location: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Posts: 1948
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Re: Applewood Department Store


Hi LaSouris,

Great review! I like the Applewood Department Store, too, and you've described the extra 3,027 items quite well emoticon Okay, I exaggerate on the number of little pieces only because it seems like there are that many!

I have Applewood Cottage, as well, and don't think it looks too tall for the house to be on top of the store. I have two of the other small houses on top of other shops and like the variation of building heights emoticon

---
~Beverly




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JabberwockyPie Profile
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Registered: 06-2008
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Re: Applewood Department Store


I would really like to see some pictures of the inside of the stores and the zillion or so accessories. I keep going back and forth between wanting it a lot and deciding I don't need it. I think if I had it I'd have it as two different shops.
9/8/2010, 11:54 am Link to this post Send Email to JabberwockyPie   Send PM to JabberwockyPie
 
lostmymarblz Profile
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Legend

Registered: 03-2007
Location: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Posts: 1948
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Re: Applewood Department Store


Applewood Department Store Video

---
~Beverly




9/8/2010, 2:53 pm Link to this post Send Email to lostmymarblz   Send PM to lostmymarblz
 
ianandjane Profile
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Legend

Registered: 02-2010
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Posts: 1799
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Re: Applewood Department Store


I want this so badly... and I could get it for a great price right now, but we've spent so much money on Critters lately that I don't think we have it in our budget right now, and I don't think we have the space for it.

Thanks for another great review LaSouris.

-Eric

---
A Calico Town: a Calico Critters and Sylvanian Families Fan Site: http://calicocrittersfansite.weebly.com

View our other toy collections at: http://ourfamilystoybox.weebly.com.
9/8/2010, 3:59 pm Link to this post Send Email to ianandjane   Send PM to ianandjane
 
JabberwockyPie Profile
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Registered: 06-2008
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Re: Applewood Department Store


I feel your pain, Eric. I'm not 100% sure if I want the store or if I'd prefer to get a house or something, and with Sylvanian City (which I assume is what you were referring to for the great price) it's a limited time thing. I'm wondering if I could resell it for at least what I paid later on if I got it and decided I didn't need it.
9/9/2010, 9:10 am Link to this post Send Email to JabberwockyPie   Send PM to JabberwockyPie
 
toukkero Profile
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Registered: 11-2009
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Re: Applewood Department Store


I would not buy this set for a kid to play. There are millions of little pieces that will be lost in an instant when the play begins. It is a great toy to practise arranging and hand cordination, but it takes so much time to set up so there won't be much time left for the play (and imagination).

Atleast that's what I think. Smaller shops are great for play as they can be set up to be shops or homes or anything!

It's so beautifully detailed that it's good for displaying and watching - from the other side of the glass :P
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ianandjane Profile
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Legend

Registered: 02-2010
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Posts: 1799
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Re: Applewood Department Store


We figured out a way financially for us to get the set (my birthday is just around the corner...). Now we're just trying to figure out if we have the space in our shrinking network-of-closets to house this set.

When day-dreaming about my Sylvanian Village, Orchard's Keep, I picture the Norwoods (Maces) running their book/stationary shop out of the department store. It would be nice to actually own the department store so my daydreams could be a reality.

Right now, I think we're waiting to see what we end up buying from Wendy on Saturday monring before we make a decision on the Applewood Department Store.

JabberwockyPie, of course I'm talking about Sylvanian City. That price is just too good.

-Eric

---
A Calico Town: a Calico Critters and Sylvanian Families Fan Site: http://calicocrittersfansite.weebly.com

View our other toy collections at: http://ourfamilystoybox.weebly.com.
9/9/2010, 3:04 pm Link to this post Send Email to ianandjane   Send PM to ianandjane
 
lostmymarblz Profile
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Legend

Registered: 03-2007
Location: Edmonton Alberta Canada
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Re: Applewood Department Store


Hi Toukkero,

I think younger children would have a difficult time with the Applewood Department Store. I definitely wouldn't get it for my five year old granddaughter, for instance. But for older children, say maybe eight to ten years old, this might be a good set, especially if they have organizational skills. Some children, no matter how old they are, may not be able to cope with the large number little pieces. I think it would depend on the individual child.



Hi Eric,

As you might imagine, we have had to do some space juggling to fit in all the new stuff recently received. We may have an advantage over you in that we have a basement, but still, we've had to become more streamlined in the way we store things here. Every so often, I go through closets and cupboards to re-organize and toss out/give away stuff. It's amazing how much more room we have afterward. By doing this under the stairway and in the furnace room in our basement, we freed up vast areas (to me they are vast) of new storage space.

---
~Beverly




9/9/2010, 5:24 pm Link to this post Send Email to lostmymarblz   Send PM to lostmymarblz
 
LaSouris Profile
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Registered: 06-2010
Posts: 373
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Re: Applewood Department Store


Thanks for reading my review!

Eric, I'm quite sure this must be the greatest SF item ever, so I think you should get it for your birthday emoticon

Tanja, you are right, it's super tricky to arrange it because there are so many small things. It's even difficult for me. On the other side, small children's hands might be able to work better with all those tiny accessories. As Bevery said, maybe a bit older children (like us hehehe).

I have a few pictures for you. They are not so great and I hope I can replace them sometime.

Mrs. Bunny with the shopping cart and the baby cat wearing the baby clothes you get with the departemnt store:

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae188/blancetcaramel/11910042.jpg

Mrs. Cat and the Juice Bar window:

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae188/blancetcaramel/11910040.jpg

The toy shop:

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae188/blancetcaramel/11910038.jpg

Pippin's Café:

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae188/blancetcaramel/11910046.jpg

I've added the Donut Shop and the Dessert Counter to it.

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae188/blancetcaramel/11910049.jpg

Outside, with another parasol table and the Crepe Shop:

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae188/blancetcaramel/11910104.jpg

More coming hopefully soon emoticon



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