- November 22, 2024
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by: Brent Woronoff
Sandy Aldrich just wants to thank all her customers, some of whom have been buying cards and gifts at Aimee’s Hallmark Shop since it opened 34 years ago.
The store at the Island Walk Shopping Center closed its doors for the last time on Jan. 2.
“I really want to tell people how thankful I am for them. My family and I really appreciate them supporting us all these years,” she said.
Aldrich, 80, and her family felt the time was right to close the shop.
“I’m getting older and I have to depend on the family to do everything, and they have their own things to do, so it was not fair for everybody (to stay open),” she said.
Aldrich said the pandemic contributed to the decision, but it did not put them out of business.
“It put the icing on the cake,” she said.
Her son Todd, daughter-in-law Melissa and daughter Aimee had been helping her run the store since her husband Raymond died in 1993. In recent months, after recovering from an illness, Sandy was limiting her time at the store to three or four days a week, she said.
They announced on Dec. 24 that Aimee’s would be closing. Within a week they sold just about everything in the store, and they donated what was left to a home in St. Augustine for abused children, she said.
Melissa Aldrich, who had been running the store full-time in recent months, said the eight to nine days from the announcement to the closing were a very emotional time as old and new customers stopped by to wish the family their best.
“It was hard,” Melissa said. “There were a lot of memories over the years, a lot of friends made. Most were very thankful for all the years (Sandy) has given. It made us feel good.”
Sandy has witnessed a lot of changes in Palm Coast since she and her husband decided on a lark in 1986 to move to the community from White Plains, N.Y., and buy the Hallmark store.
“We were in Palm Coast when it was just such a little place — one shopping center, one grocery store, a pizza parlor, a restaurant/bar, a travel agency, a florist and a beauty parlor,” she said.
“I think I was the oldest store of its kind in Palm Coast. I don't think there were any gift stores, maybe in Flagler Beach but not in Palm Coast. The day we took over the store it was a successful business.”
She has witnessed a lot of changes in the gift business over the years too. Ten to 15 years ago people were buying high-end items such as Lladro porcelain figurines and Swarovski crystal, she said.
“Being in the retail business you have to go with what’s popular at the time,” she said.
But while buying habits may have changed, the customers have always held a special place in Sandy’s heart.
“We were always making friends,” she said. “Every day was nice. It wasn’t like going to work like some people say, ‘Oh, I have to get up and go to work today.’ It wasn’t like that. You don’t get people coming in mad. People come into a card store to buy a gift and a card, and they’re happy.
“I will miss it,” she said. “I will miss it.”
But Sandy Aldrich doesn’t expect to be idle for long.
“I think once the virus is over I’ll look to do something,” she said. “I have a lot of learning to do.”
