Monday, May 4, 2009

Last of the Minnesota St. oldtimers....

I think I've confirmed that Joyce has closed the Curiosity Shop. I suppose she picked this opportune moment to retire. She was down in the old building by the Old Mill, next to the Kiln Book(?)store.

When I bought Pegasus Books in 1984, there were some -- what seemed to me -- oldtimers already in place. Shirley, at the Book Barn. Gary at Birkenstocks. Jerry at the Sole Shop. And Joyce at the Curiosity Shop.

I was a little intimidated by them, at first. I'm not sure they ever took my business all that seriously.

Joyce's shop morphed with her interests from a gag and gift shop, to a new age store. I stopped going in, because I felt like a bull in a china shop. I'm not much into the idea of soft diplomacy and sensitivity --- obviously. But all these guys, though I think they looked at me askance, did treat me nicely at first.

Anyway, I'm surprised more hasn't been made of this closure. Joyce's shop was an institution in this town.

1 comment:

Keeneye said...

I loved Joyce's store when it was on Minnesota. She introduced me to crystals and Enya (new age music), and she always had such a great demeanor.