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A Tosa resident for more than 15 years, Karen is a stay-at-home mom with two children who enjoys writing and playing tennis. She spends the fall and winter in the stands at Green Bay Packer and Marquette basketball games.


Karen is the former community columnist for the Wauwatosa NOW newspaper.

A sad letter to Drew's

By Karen Waldkirch
Thursday, Nov 1 2007, 08:59 AM

Dear Drew’s:

Say it ain’t so! I heard the news today – oh boy. I can’t tell you how sad I am to hear that you’ll be closing your doors in January. And it’s not just me. When I drove carpool this morning, my daughter and her friend mourned the future loss of one of their favorite local retailers. Yes, that’s right – even teens adore you. We parents can’t get that kind of love.

 

Was it because I haven’t been in recently? I meant to, but we haven’t needed poster board or yarn or buttons or strange kitchen gadgets in the last couple of months. But if I did, I would have been there in a flash, happily wandering your aisles.

 

The thing is, what I loved about you is that you were always there – when I needed you and sometimes when I didn’t. Your kitchiness and eclectic mix of homespun and hard-to-find were exactly what we needed in a town where big box retailers are slowly taking over.

 

It must not have been fun for you these past few months with village streets and various construction projects taking their toll on your bottom line. We appreciate your steadfastness through it all.

 

I’m guessing that you didn’t come to this decision easily, but if there’s still room to reconsider, please do. As someone said so aptly in the Tosa Town Square, you are part of the fabric of Wauwatosa. With you gone, there’s a big hole in our village and in our hearts.

 

If it’s a done deal, then I guess all there is left to say is thank you. Thanks for being there for parents, kids and all Tosans. We will never forget you.

 

Your customer,

 

Karen

 

Comments

family guy   

Karen, I am sad too.   As a kid, we called Drews "the dime store"

We would get penny candy there.  Once I found $10 (this was over 30 years ago)  and had a field day there.  Buying water ballons, kites,

jaw breakers and those cheap plastic sleds are all in my memory.

They had stuff kids loved with shevles at kids levels.

This was before Toy-R-Us, Target, Bartz, Haloween express.

The costumes that we didn't make we bought at Drews.

I am sad to....

November 1, 2007 10:38 AM

Jeanne   

Here's the thing about Drew's that you don't get other places: You go in there for one thing and end up with four other things you didn't even know existed but you really want. That's what happened to me when I went school supply shopping for my kids. I found a few really cool things I'd never seen before -- not at Target or anywhere else -- and bought them and those are the things I use all the time.

One of them is my new favorite container that I bring my lunch to work in -- it's the perfect size for a serving of some dinner leftovers and its ceramic, so I don't worry about eating plastic after I heat it up in the microwave.

Drew's is good for that kind of thing. I wish we could convince them to stay, but if not, let's at least give them a really good last few months to remember us by.

November 1, 2007 6:29 PM

tosan   

My family and I are TOTALLY BUMMED!!!  We LOVE Drews!!!  I bought all oa my school supplies there as a kid and now my kids do too.  When I really need some quiet in the house I throw my kids a couple of bucks and send them off to Drews.  My sibs and I used to do all of our Christmas shopping there.  They will never let me forget about the year I bought a pack of dice and wrapped one up for each sib----I thought it was a pretty cool gift!  We bought my mom a punch bowl set that we still use every Christmas Eve.  Candy, crap and craft supplies...how will we ever get through those annoying school projects without Drews?  Dare I suggest it, but I would vote to finance keeping Drews open even over a brand new pool!!! (it's available year round and I don't have to get into a suit to enjoy it...) I have always been impressed with how kind the staff is and that people of all ages and skill levels are hired.  Someone needs to buy it!!!  Tosa will never be the same without it...

November 1, 2007 7:37 PM

Jillo   

I heartily agree with all previous comments.  A friend suggested that perhaps a developer made an offer they couldn't refuse, and if so, I guess I can't blame them, but I also can't imagine anything as great as Drew's ever filling that spot (literally and figuratively).  PLEASE STAY!!!!!!

November 2, 2007 10:40 AM

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