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Once at a Dollar Store, I found a bin of industrial quality, long-shafted drill bits of various sizes. They were priced at 50 cents each and turned out to be of such high quality, that they never get dull. I bought 50 of them and wish I'd gotten more. I've given some to mechanic friends, who tell me they're the best they've ever had. If you look closely at the stock in those stores, you can sometimes find gems like that, that are priced at pennies on the dollar. I can't remember ever finding anything but ordinary junk in the traditional five and dime stores.
^^^^That's because you are a guy. For a teen girl, it was heaven on earth, LOL.
I grew up with Kresge's, Woolworth's and Cunningham's. Each had a lunch counter, and I loved to eat there. The open faced hot turkey, hot beef and hot meatloaf dinners with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans, I believe. Yummy! The soda fountains in those and drug stores were fun too. I used to buy my "go to" lipstick at Kresge's, I still remember the name, "Sugar Pink" but forget the brand. And favorite records (45's) of the '60's heartthrobs for .69 cents! I still have my collection, but they are packed away.
Last night I was thinking about dollar stores and I realized they are basically like the old five and ten's I knew as a child.
That got me wondering how many on here remember the five and ten, and also stores like Woolworth, Grants, Kresgees. Those were around where we were and came before the stores like K-mart and Bradlees which are also now mostly gone.
How many remember the old stores?
I had a Woolworth and a Grants in neighboring towns. We had a Kress, but not a Kresgees.
^^^^That's because you are a guy. For a teen girl, it was heaven on earth, LOL.
I grew up with Kresge's, Woolworth's and Cunningham's. Each had a lunch counter, and I loved to eat there. The open faced hot turkey, hot beef and hot meatloaf dinners with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans, I believe. Yummy! The soda fountains in those and drug stores were fun too. I used to buy my "go to" lipstick at Kresge's, I still remember the name, "Sugar Pink" but forget the brand. And favorite records (45's) of the '60's heartthrobs for .69 cents! I still have my collection, but they are packed away.
We had a Grants and some other 5 and 10 cent store whose name I can't remember, as well as a drug store with the old fashioned soda counter...Lime Rickeys were my favorite! What triggered my memory was the mention of the lipstick...not sure what year you are referencing, but I remember the fad was very frosted pink or nearly white lipstick...and I think we may have used the same color! I think the brand was Coty, but I could be wrong! Thanks to the OP for a wonderful trip down memory lane!
Last night I was thinking about dollar stores and I realized they are basically like the old five and ten's I knew as a child.
That got me wondering how many on here remember the five and ten, and also stores like Woolworth, Grants, Kresgees. Those were around where we were and came before the stores like K-mart and Bradlees which are also now mostly gone.
How many remember the old stores?
We called them "five and dime stores." We had only Woolworth in our area. I've never heard of Grants or Kresgees. Woolworth also had a small soda bar, where you could get shakes or ice cream or soft drinks.
I remember the 5 and 10 cent stores in the early sixties. You could actually buy something for a nickel or a dime. I think a paddle ball and paddle cost a dime.
Speaking of soda fountains, my first job was working behind one as a teenager in the early 70s. LOVED the food. I worked one day a week during high school and gained 15 pounds that year because we were allowed to eat whatever we wanted.
Once at a Dollar Store, I found a bin of industrial quality, long-shafted drill bits of various sizes. They were priced at 50 cents each and turned out to be of such high quality, that they never get dull. I bought 50 of them and wish I'd gotten more. I've given some to mechanic friends, who tell me they're the best they've ever had. If you look closely at the stock in those stores, you can sometimes find gems like that, that are priced at pennies on the dollar. I can't remember ever finding anything but ordinary junk in the traditional five and dime stores.
You can find some decent stuff at Dollar Stores. I buy socks for care packages that I hand out to homeless seniors. My husband was whining that he couldn't find any black socks that would stay up so I pulled out a pair of the dollar store socks out. He loved them, he said they were super comfortable and asked me to buy him some more
I remember Woolworths as a child. One of the few places Mom would let us eat out at. Likely because she would order, take off shopping, then come back in time for the bill.
In fact, I am feelling like I need a psychiatrist just writing this. One time while she was gone, I put my hand up a bubble gum machine to find a wire squiggly thing. Learned if you pushed it to the side, a gumball came out. Did it a few times getting free gumballs.
Then one day..the squiggly thing broke and the gumballs were heavier than the little door that held them in. When I pulled my hand out, they came out all over the floor of the woolworths. Boy was I in BIG TROUBLE!!! All I wanted was a few damn gumballs but at four years old, I was screwed.
Dragged to the back of the store by a store manager, told of that I was going to jail, while mom shopped not knowing any different. They returned me but never mentioned the "stealing" and neither did I mention it. From then on, any mention of going there was met with, "Well I am staying in the car"! which I did.
By the way, prior meant i got a great tasting hamburger or grilled cheese at the deli which I loved! God Bless Woolworths
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