Retro Roadmap Writeup
It was kismet that RetroRoadhusband and I were near downtown Media PA this week as I've been wanting to showcase Deals Variety Store as a shopping destination for the longest time. And who can resist walking on the wood floors of a once Woolworths right before Christmas? Not me!
Entering the store you are reminded that Woolworths and their like use to be in practically every downtown, and served such a useful purpose as a one stop place to get everything you needed.
We needed some light bulbs for our front post light and Deals is the only place in the area I know that carries the ones I like. The big and boring chain stores only have the big and boring bulbs-!
Deals is clean and bright and chockablock full of practically anything you could need! In our short trip in we saw candles, candies, galvanized buckets, twine, chain, lighter fluid, paint, squirt guns, table cloths, Christmas decorations and so so so much more. They make keys too!
So many useful things abound here, I think every town should have a shop like this!
While we didn't pick up any jute twine - it's biodegradable AND holds a knot, dontcha know - I know where we can get some when we need it.
Don't forget right down the block from the main Deals location is the Deals stationery annex with great prices on boxes, pads of paper, envelopes and cards. We cracked up at the Anne Taintor type magnets on display and were psyched to find a packing tape gun to replace the one RetroRoadhusband left at the post office.
Downtown Media is worth a visit itself for the number of independently owned and operated businesses, and if it wasn't such a chilly day we would've done more shopping on State Street.
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My parents have lived in an outlying area of Media for over five years now, and were just telling us about how great Deals is. We’ve yet to visit the store, but we really should! We need some replacement bulbs for lights in our back yard, and I can’t find them at any if the big hardware stores!
Leslie
January 22, 2014 at 1:03 pmJust recently found the Roadmap and wanted to add my two cents on Deals. I am in Deals at least once a week because my office is three blocks behind State Street. When I was a kid, it was still a Woolworth’s and it looks and even smells much the same. One of the best things about Deals at Christmastime is that they stock up on C7 bulbs for those authentic, retro Christmas displays – single window candles, three light candloliers, large bulbs for wreaths, strings for trees. None of those LED’s please. When your back in Media, check out Reconsidered Home. They are on Jasper St. just up from the back door of Deals. They are all mid-century all the time furniture and décor. Great stuff!
George
December 25, 2010 at 1:45 pmAll that and trolley tracks down the middle of the street! How much more retro can it get?
Mod Betty / RetroRoadmap.com
December 25, 2010 at 4:17 pmGeorge – I saw the trolley go by as we were eating lunch (at Fellini’s – not retro/vintage but the same place we ate after we were in Philly to select my wedding ring, so it has a special place for us) and had to stop our conversation and point the trolley out to RetroRoadhusband. Truly a charming little town. If we didn’t move to Phoenixville Media would’ve been our next choice but luckily PXV is more in line with us, and our budget. I do like getting to Media any chance I can get and luckily those post lights do blow out eventually 🙂