Nostalgia at the Dollar Tree

Last week I was driving down Cherry lane and saw the Dollar Tree had opened for business. After years being vacant, life was beginning to emerge again in the old Blockbuster space.

And, just for a moment, when I looked up at the sign on the wall, I almost was able to see another sign that hung in its place many years before... a V&S variety store logo. I happily remember the days when I rode my bike uptown (yes, it's actually called 'uptown' Northbrook, not 'downtown') and pulling out rumpled dollar bills from my pocket to buy something 'really cool.'
I would troll the aisles looking for something that would catch my eye and a prize that I could afford. And, inevitably, I always found something. You could get anything at V&S.

Sadly, my father has lamented for years that after V&S left town, he could no longer get the same kind of underwear that he bought there. A pack of three was six dollars. He swore by the quality too. Maybe that is too much information, but just ask him!

So, today, I made my way into the Dollar Store. It was busy and the energy felt  good. I looked around and realized that they really do sell everything! I found plates, spoons, decorations, household items, food and much, much more. And, for real, there is nothing in the store being sold for more than a dollar.

I ran into a former classmate from Glenbrook North, and heard her tell her children, "You can pick out one thing." They ran up the aisles searching for the perfect item.

The V&S Variety Store was a part of my childhood. It was a destination on a hot summer day. It is where I first felt freedom as a kid. I'd grab my purse, hop on my bike, and just hang out  in front of the store and try to look 'cool.'

My oldest daughter last week visited the Dollar Tree and told me how 'awesome' it was. "They have everything!" she explained to me. I smiled, knowing this might be a part of her childhood the same way V&S was a part of mine. She has started saving her dollars.

As I left the store, I didn't have anything that I felt I absolutely had to have, so my hands were empty. Until I made one last swing around and realized that they were selling reading glasses for a dollar each. I laughed. It seemed fitting to me. The Dollar Tree can now be a part of my middle-age memories.

I bought two pairs.

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Kati Spaniak is a 36-year resident of Northbrook, a former Northbrook Village Board Trustee and a Real Estate Broker with @properties specializing in selling real estate in Northbrook. Her GetInvolvedNorthbrook page is to keep the residents of Northbrook involved and active in the community.

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