Five and Dime Store Experiences

One bright sun shiny spring day my husband and I wrapped up a business appointment

in Branson, Missouri.  “Do you want to shop a bit at Dick’s Five and Dime before we

head home?” my husband asked.

     “Sure,” I replied.  As I stepped into Dick’s Five and Dime Store, a flood of sweet

memories came to my mind and filled my heart with gladness.  Visions of our three

children running up and down the isles looking at the toys and even visions of my

childhood experiences in other Five and Dime Stores in Bolivar and Buffalo, Missouri

brought smiles to my heart. Five and Dime Stores, being a popular type of business in the

60’s, provided fun learning experiences and provided the means in making memories for

my family. 

      

     Many times our mother would take us to the Five and Dime Store in Bolivar, Missouri

to pick up Household items and undoubtedly we ended up in the toy section.  “I think I

want a kite today.  Or I want a set of jacks?  Oh, Mom, look at this felt marker set!”  The

shopping experience created as much fun as playing with our new toys and gadgets. 

These toys and gadgets, also, provided my brother and I with many great fun learning

experiences. 

     We bought clay in a package of four square bars in red, yellow, green, and blue.  We

would mold the clay in animal shapes, dish shapes, and flower shapes.  Many great works of art were created. 

     Over the years we bought different simple toys such as a jump rope, a set of jacks, and kites.  We even purchased school supplies each fall.

     The most fun Five and Dime experience I have ever had happened on one warm summer afternoon.  My younger brother and I along with our mother sat waiting in the car for my Dad.  Time seemed to drag on and on.  We were waiting for our father to complete a business transaction with a local business owner in Buffalo, Missouri.  I observed the different stores on the city square such as a bank, a clothing shop, a barber shop, a jewelry store and a five and dime store.  “Mom, can we go look around in the dime store?” I asked.  “Well, I don’t know.  Your Dad will probably be out soon and then we are going to buy groceries,” replied my Mom.  “Please?” my brother and I cried in unison.  Our mother looked at the store assessing the store and the distance from where we were parked. “Well, okay.  Here is twenty-five cents.  Why don’t you buy a bag of candy?”  “Oh that sounds great!” 

     Excitedly, I jumped out of the car with the quarter in hand.  As I stepped into the store,

I observed long counters upon counters of penny candy.  In fact I had never seen so much

candy in all of my 9 years!  Pixie Sticks, Jolly Ranchers, Laffy Taffy, Sweet Tarts, Sugar

Babies, Sugar Daddies, Double Bubble and Bazooka Bubble Gum, and Jaw Breakers

fill our bag.  What does a Pixie Stick taste like?  And Sweet Tarts?  I glanced back

out at the car questioningly.  My brother anxiously peered out of the car at me anticipating what I was choosing for both of us.  There was only one way to find out and

that was to try different candies.  I filled our bag with two of each kind of candy I thought

my brother and I would like to eat.  The quarter bought a lot of candy for two 7 and 9

year old kids to devour!

     Arriving to the car, my brother opened the back door for me.  We poured the bag of

candy onto the back seat.  “Oh!  Ah!  What is this?  Let’s try the Pixie Sticks first?”  The

little grains were a taste bud treat of sweet and sour all at the same time!  “Let’s don’t eat

too much!  We don’t want to make ourselves sick.”  Over the course of two days my

brother and I consumed the twenty-five cent bag of candy.  We thoroughly enjoyed

ourselves.  After the experience, every time we traveled to Buffalo we bought a bag of

penny candy. 

     Five and Dime Stores provided fun learning experiences and memories for my

family.As Benjamin Benii once said, “We didn’t realize we were making memories, we

just knew we were having fun.”