In November, I took my daughter to an escape room for her birthday. It was in a shopping center I visited frequently as a kid. Most of the stores have changed. We used go to Garbo’s dinner theatre there, since a family friend was the manager of the theatre. While waiting for the doors to open, or for a table at the Spaghetti Factory (which is the only business that still remains from my childhood), we would go to the fabulous toy store. I especially remember the large wooden train table that we could play with.
I was disappointed to see that the toy store is gone. In its place is a gun store. Disappointing, but not all that remarkable on its own. Stores don’t tend to last multiple decades.
But as we drove home from my parents’ house this weekend, I noticed another toy store from my childhood - this one where I and my sister acquired far too many beanie babies - had also turned into a store called Foothill Ammo.
Still, mostly a coincidence, but it made me wonder - were there dedicated gun stores when I was a kid? I don’t remember any. I’m not sure how I would figure out if this was a change. Gun stores are categorized under NAICS 451110, with other Sporting Goods. That’s where I remember guns being sold when I was a kid. When my dad took me to get fishing bait, lures and other tackle, there would be a hunting section in the same store. And maybe camping gear too. I don’t remember gun stores.
Bigger markets lead to more specialization. It just is very salient when those specialized stores selling something very different replace the toy stores of my past.
[Image created using Bing AI]