Blickenstaff’s: The Magic of Childhood

I grew up in a teeny tiny town in Utah.  There were no stop lights, just to give you a better idea of its size.  We pretty much knew or knew of every individual who contributed to our city’s minuscule population.  As such, my mom didn’t worry about allowing us older children to ride our bikes all around town, creating our own adventures.

Many times she’d hand us each 50 cents and send us to the local convenience store (the only one in town) on main street.  We termed it “The Candy Store”.  We’d grab a brown paper bag and fill it with “penny candies”.  Do you remember those? I’m feeling old now.  🙂  Yes, Swedish Fish, Sour Patch Kids, and Tootsie Rolls cost just one cent a piece back then, which meant fifty cents went a long way.  We’d return, faces beet red from the summer heat, but smiles galore, our bags filled to the brim with goodies.

So you can imagine that whenever I see candy dispensed the “old-fashioned way” my heart sings.

It reminds me of one of my favorite shows of all time.  Do you remember that scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where The Candy Man showers the anxious, sugar-loving kids with colorful tiny treats?  Well to me, that is the magic of childhood in a store, and it’s similar to the memories that I have of our sweets-grabbing trips down town.

 Credit: moviemezzanine.com

Sometimes I wish I could give my kids a taste of the wonders of my childhood.  I often tell them stories about “when I was little”, but now they can experience it first-hand, in a sense.

Have you heard of Blickenstaff’s?

It’s a whimsical store with not just candy dispensed the old-fashioned way (be still my heart)…

Credit: The Shops at Riverwoods

…but with unique toys and games that can’t be found in the “big-box” stores.

    Credit: The Shops at Riverwoods

It’s a colorful, fun place that speaks to me and I know my children will adore when they’re lucky enough to experience it for themselves.

My family can quote me on this, because they often hear me say, “Toys just aren’t built like they used to be”.  At Blickenstaff’s I know the products will stand the test of time and kids who are rough-at-play.  And, we’ll find a large selection of fun things that my kids have never seen before.

I could spend hours here! Talk about nostalgia overload! My mind is flooded with memories of my growing up days, when life was much simpler, yet we had a blast anyway. It’s a magical place that gives you warm fuzzies when you walk inside.  Find it in the Riverwoods shopping complex in Provo, Utah.  I live out-of-state now, but you can bet each time we visit Grandma’s house, that a trip to Blickenstaff’s is on our bucket list. It’ll be a great excuse for a date with my kiddos.  If you drop by, you can catch me raiding the candy. 🙂