noun \və-ˈrī-ə-tē\
: a number or collection of different things
: the quality or state of having or including many different things
King's Variety Store is closing. It's our local Five-and-Dime, at one time with two locations, and I can't think of another anywhere nearby. It's where we'd go for shelf paper — the kind that had the lacy paper edging. I bought the majority of my Peaches & Creme yarn collection there. Parochial school & Scouting uniforms & doodads, socks, underwear, hats, mittens, household goods, craft & sewing supplies, yarn, fabric, felt, dowels, party goods & balloons, giftware, corks, dishes, glassware, toys & games, coloring books, artificial flowers, lawn ornaments, greeting cards, school supplies, seasonal decor, candy. Oh, the candy!!
The previously closed larger location devoted the lower level entirely to toys and the kids loved going there. They also had 50-cent grab bags and… well, just like me, I guess, the girls always loved the mystery and surprise!!
I stopped in the other day and this little plaster face grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. Isn't he adorable? I bought some thread and a leather thimble… and some training pants for Junah.
Because! That's how it works!! You wander the aisles, never knowing what you'll find, or what you didn't know you needed!
Oh, I'm going to miss that store.
That sounds like my kind of store. We had a store named Kings here when I was a kid that sounds very similar to yours and I loved it and still think about it. They had THE BEST birthday cakes! Sorry you’re losing this place!
As a non-shopper, that is the sort of place I would make me twitchy, even though I know several people that always walk out with a cool bargain or surprise find. But, I’m jealous of your leather thimble. And while I might not have personally loved a place like that, I always hate to see a locally owned landmark close.
What sad news! We had a lovely variety store here that seemingly had everything, but sadly closed when Michael’s and Walmart came to town. They always had the best doilies and supplies for making Valentines and for a while they were the only place I could buy sewing thread, but like you said, I always found other things I didn’t know I needed while wandering the aisles. So sorry for you!
You should swing into Evans in Sheboygan Falls someday. It’s the five and dime in my hometown. If you couldn’t find whatever you needed somewhere else, chances are you could find it at Evans.
I love local stores like that. These days Dollar stores are putting local stores out of business. Such a shame.
We lost our last variety store a few years ago. I’m surprised yours lasted so long. Buy all you can!
We had a variety store like that in the town we lived in when the kids were little. We all LOVED that store! (It, too, had a toy-basement.) It’s no longer there, I understand, which is so very sad. (I’ve seen your plaster-face-child before. Probably in said local variety store. . . )