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| Dick's Five and Dime in Branson, MO. A old painful memory was rekindled in this 50+ year old dime store. |
A couple of weeks ago Clint and I made our first trip to Branson, MO. We love Branson and am looking forward to visiting again. A nice lady who worked at the desk of the Hampton Inn helped us so much in touring Branson and selecting shows and other sites to visit. She was a native of Branson and was perfect for this job. My eyes lit up when she mentioned an old dime store in the historic downtown district of Branson.
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| Over 50,000 different items are sold in this dime store! |
I have always loved dime stores, as we used to call them back in the 50s. I remember my cousin called them "the ten cent store". I have had many daydreams of being back in Emery's 5 and 10, this was the name of the "dime" store in my home town. I still remember where the certain sections were located, especially the toy, cosmetics and record sections. We also bought our colored Easter chickens at Emery's. Today can you imagine buying live chickens at Walmart? Our poor little chickens usually died by the time we returned home from our Easter family gathering at my grandparents. I can also remember Emery's selling live turtles.
The cosmetic sections had some favorite items I remember, including Blue Waltz perfume. Of course this perfume was very cheap and I have a very embarrassing memory involving this little bottle of fragrance. I took a bottle with me to school in the 4th grade. I spilled this bottle of perfume in the class room and it was disruptive and all heck broke loose. This strong scent was not appreciated at all, I remember my 9 year old classmates holding their noses and making disgusting sounds. The janitor was called to the room and the teacher was not happy, either.
Back to the Hampton Inn's front desk and the nice lady giving us directions and advice on sight seeing, I knew right away I wanted to head to the old dime store. It is called Dick's Old Time 5 and 10 and boasts it has over 50,000 different items. A Branson, MO, landmark ... it has been in business for over 50 years.
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| It was so crowded we could barely move. |
I could not believe the crowds at this dime store, Clint and I could barely move! The tile floor was old green and white linoleum. I was in heaven but Clint was not quite as amused. I headed for the cosmetic section, you had to just walk and search, but I found it. I could not believe my eyes, there was an entire display of Blue Waltz Perfume! I have since learned it is still being made and the claim is made it has the same formulation today as it did back in 1927, when it was introduced by Blue Waltz, Inc. I have read some women still like it and wear it today. I am not one of those women, it brought back some childhood memories but not pleasant ones ... to this day I can still feel my embarrassment of that spilled bottle in the 4th grade. I am just gonna stick to my bottle of Clinique's Aromatics Elixir in the spray bottle.
 A display of Blue Waltz perfume. |
| Funny how scents can evoke old memories ... good and bad. |
8 comments:
Actually, I did like the charming old place and was amazed at the huge inventory of Americana. But---the crowds prevented anything but slow movement in the aisles. How come you don't get embarrassed when you make a mistake here at home?
Me embarrassed at my age? You gotta be kiddin'! One of the best perks of growing older.
Beautiful this store!
I lose it in, I really like!!
Ciao!
yes Cindy, the older we get the more we laugh at ourselves :O)and the less we are embarrassed and want to run away and hide.
Amazing store. We have cheap stores here, but nothing like that.
I love that you two make these fun outings!
Two things:
when I was little I never understood why everything at the "Five and Ten" (what we called it) wasn't 5 or 10 cents?! It bothered me - and frankly still does!
Oh and in 4th grade - I threw up in class so imagine my classmates displeasure! They would have preferred the perfume (I think) but still - it's stuff like that they never let you forget!
:)
Design, Wine and Dine ... you are sooo funny!
I don't like it either when I go into stores similar to Dollar Tree and everything is not a dollar, some items are much more than a dollar.
Bless your heart for getting sick in the 4th grade. I think we have all done similar things but when we are young, we embarrase much more easily.
Thanks for your comments.
LOL to the Blue Waltz perfume, i know when i see one i'll remember you haha. I like that your posts are so interesting and amusing:-)
I remember the 50's also and sitting on a swing in Eden Park in Walnut Hills, i was to young for girls but i could't get over a young girl how was wearing Blue Waltz Perfume. She told me the name and that she got it at Woolworths. I have no idea how i remembered the name of it. To smell it even as a young boy was a real turn-on.
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