The Trolls Are Back on Main Street

Edith Marra can’t believe how many people remember the Troll Shop and have come in to add to their collections since she re-opened.

She opened the original Troll Shop next to the Town Hall in the mid-'70s. In the early '80s the Marras bought the buildings at 86 and 88 Main Street and she moved across the street to the much larger space.

The trolls disappeared in 1998 when the property was sold to Betsy Stevens and her husband David and became the location of Stevens Oriental Rugs.

That was when Edith noticed The Grand Manor in Pawtucket was for sale. The historic Victorian mansion was built for cotton manufacturer Elisa B. Pitcher. At one time it was the headquarters for the American Red Cross and the Boy Scouts of America and in 1970 became the site of the Rhode Island Children’s Museum. The building was put up for sale when the museum moved to Providence.

After 14 months of work on a complete restoration Marra opened The Grand Manor and now runs it as a site for functions from elegant weddings to corporate events.

The original East Greenwich store was known as The Flaming Cauldron, which is still the corporate name. It featured Halloween merchandise and a variety of imported gift items from around the world.

During a vacation trip through the South, the Marras came across a Scandinavian family who made trolls. Trolls have a world-wide history, but are especially deep in the mythology of Norway. Because the family had no money, the father started making trolls for his three children as Christmas gifts and in the 1950s they were put into stores.

Edith bought a supply and when they were an immediate hit she got exclusive rights to the market area.

A Scandinavian collectable craft item, the trolls originally came in only four sizes. Now sold in hundreds of stores, the line has been expanded to include trolls depicted in dozens of occupations and hobbies. 

Recently Betsy Stevens, who had continued running the rug store following the death of her husband, decided to sell the property and scale back that business.

When the Marras learned the property was for sale they decided to buy it back.  Civil, which was housed in the smaller store front at 88 Main Street, and that site is now Troll Shop.

The store is run as a co-op with Besty Stevens operating her rug business in one area and merchandise from five other businesses and the trolls on display in the rest of the sales area. The appearance to a customer is that of a single place of business.