The Death of a Store

I really am not a big shopper but there have always been certain stores that could just suck me in.  As a child it was any store that had a good school supply isle.  When I was first allowed to go to the mall with just a friend, I would always have to stop in the Walgreens to walk down the school supply isle.

Then of course there is the pull of any of the crafting stores... and of course the Dollar Store has it's own unique sort of lore, tricking you into buying more than you need as hey, it's only $1!

There is one special store that has taken on a bit of a legend in my household, a special store that has led to my husband's telling stories of it's demise on a regular basis.  As you see this store was a unique one, one that there are only a handful of in the country and one my mother and I would gleefully shop at any time she was in town.

It was our mother-daughter shopping trips where we would bring home big bags full of household decorations, holiday decorations and other things we probably really didn't need that began the stories.

When my mother came out again to visit, my husband greeted with sad news, the store had burned down.  She believed him momentarily, but then soon realized he was just teasing in his usual way.

Then this became the regular thing he would say anytime this store was mentioned, stating we could not shop there because of what happened.  He said it so much my kids soon began saying it too.

Yesterday I had a coupon for this store that was about to expire, so I decided to take all three kids, who had the day off, shopping with me.  They of course said that we could not go there as it had burnt down.

I told them it had not, but I had heard it was a bit smaller as they had resized, I just had not seen it yet for myself.

I parked in my usual spot, only to realize those doors were no longer part of the store, I walked down two sets of doors to now what was the only entrance to the store.  I was shocked at how little and now how cramped the store had become.  It no longer held it's appeal, it's draw- it's ability to captivate me and make me wander around and looking at every little thing.   I just wanted to leave... and they didn't even had what I wanted!

As we left the store and my kids realized my disappointment and after a million questions on why it was smaller, followed by a quick lesson on economics, Lucas said the following;

"I am not going to say it burnt down anymore, as it is just sad."

Yes, my son, yes it is.



Do you have a favorite store you like to shop at?