Nanadobbie Cornwall opened in the summer of 2006, by father and daughter team Alys and Mike Dobbie. The shop was named after the passing of Mike's mother, Alys' Nanadobbie. Alys had been previously living and working in London where she was a regular seller at Spitalfields Market and also had her own space to sell in an indoor Antiques Market in Clapham. Once the shop was open in Cornwall and well established, Alys went back to University and achieved a first class honours degree at Buckinghamshire's New University in Furniture Restoration.

Nanadobbie London was opened when Alys moved back to London after graduating from university.