Our wonderful neighbors in Sumner are throwing us a "going away" party - so we've decided to include all of you - our loyal customers! So please join us Tuesday, January 31st after 5:30 p.m. But remember - we're not really "going away" we're just moving on...our stuff will still be in the store and we'll be at lots of shows! You'll hardly know we're gone... The store may look a little weird that night, but we've actually got lots of great stuff to fill our new space - so come get the first look!
When we first opened in 1999 we had a couple stools on the outside of the counter where customers could sit and wait while making their purchase. Little did we know that this would be the beginning of what I call the "Cheers Bar Phenomenon". Since the very beginning our store has felt like a home away from home for us and it seems, for many of you too. I can't tell you how often we hear from folks "Can I just live in here?" I've come to realize over time that it's because of what we sell. An antiques store is different from ALL other stores in one very special way. What we sell reminds people of an earlier time in their life - it could be the bowl where grandma made bread; or the lamp that looks just like one in Aunt Aggie's basement; or the vanity that was in their "little girl" bedroom. And with that memory comes emotion - more often then not a big smile appears and there's a sense of delight. What could be more wonderful then to bring an unexpected delight to your customers day??
And then the "Cheers Bar Phenomenon" appears and the stories begin. We have heard hundreds - maybe thousands of stories from folks who were reminded of a time in their lives just by seeing something we have in the store. We've heard love stories, war stories; heartbreaking stories and wild west stories; stories of surviving the great depression and stories from far away places. Sometimes the storyteller is surprised by their own ability to remember because "they haven't thought about that for years"...I think I'll miss those stories the most.
In 12 1/2 years we have watched toddlers become teenagers, moms grow to be grandmas; we've been there to help folks fill their houses with treasures only to have them "size down" years later so they could become snowbirds. We've noticed when particularly sweet customers no longer come in - like the little elderly lady who used to bring me recipes all the time or the darling man who took the bus from Auburn because he couldn't see to drive just so he could buy our old magazines to get ideas for his garden cutouts... We may not always remember everyone's name, but we can usually remember what you are looking for! There's the guy that buys his wife brown transferware EVERY Christmas or the stately woman who loves everything Victorian or the couple who were looking for just the right farm table for about seven years...you get the picture...we remember YOU.
And we will miss you.
~Kris
So please join us one last time at the store, Tuesday the 31st after 5:30 p.m. - by then Amy and I will be ready for some food, fun and friends!!
Spend some time in Sumner - the best little small town around!
Sumner, Washington, population 9,000 (give or take a few) is located just off Highway 167 at the 410 Interchange. It sits in the shadow of Mt. Rainier just north of Puyallup, thirty minutes south of Seattle.
Within a few short blocks you will find nearly everything on your shopping list: antiques, home decor, furniture, country accessories, crafting and scrapbooking supplies, gifts, gardening, art, collectibles, books, jewelry and so much more! You can park your car once, shop the day away and enjoy lunch at one of the many diverse restaurants Sumner has to offer!
Now doesn't that sound a little more relaxing than a trip to the mall?