I used to go to this "Christmas" store every year (most often several times each Christmas season) and really enjoyed the folks running it. The gentleman sort of in charge was a "Santa Claus's" double and was very, very helpful. I always was in a festive mood when I left because it was like visiting the elusive North Pole! The place was usually busy with shoppers and had a lot of great (I mean G-R-E-A-T) bargains to make the home look like it looked where I grew up in Wisconsin back in the 60's- (you've seen Christmas Story with the boy whom was told about wanting a Red-Rider BB gun-"you'll shoot your eye out Kid!"), with all the blow molds and trees that people had in their yards and bay widows. I got a few of the cheapest to assemble and light up in my yard. Most are still used to this very Christmas. Trees of all shapes, sizes and colors imaginable. The very first time I went at the suggestion of a fellow sailor in Norfolk. (How else would a farm kid from cheesehead central end up in Norfolk, VA of all places than by being in the Navy.) My wife had me looking for an 18 foot tree for our great room in our Suffolk, VA house. I kept telling her it was impossible. Boy was I wrong!I (I did find one on ebay back then for almost $300.00 but I wasn't paying it) They had a quite a few (hell they were the only ones making them that tall anywhere and the ones on ebay was one of theirs! I talked to "Santa" and got my wife the biggest surprise of her life when I walked in with a box the size of a human coffin. I paid $60.00 for it because I got a bunch of other stuff too. Yeah I had to go get the cash and smartly so I got more than needed and when i returned to pay-i found a small nativity that I put in front of our newly joined church ( much to the liking of our preacher). Sadly I moved away after I retired (27 yrs) and got a "real" job in Central VA. (Oh yeah-the wife was from here and I met her while recruiting in central VA. True to her word she wasn't moving to somewhere that "below freezing" is most of late Dec, all of Jan, FEB and early March.) Well it being Covid year and all, I mentioned one night of the fond memories I had there in that wintery warehouse where you cannot help but be in the holiday spirit with "Santa" and all the warehouse people working like elves to get rid of all the stuff they had left. The wife insisted I find out if it still exists, because she wants a new pre-lit tree. The old number I had in my phone for General Foam Plastics Company of Norfolk did not work. I "Googled them and found out that at least I think they still are there. (I sure hope so as it really makes me giddy to think I'll be back there again tomorrow, like I was over 10 years ago, and by the pictures I do not think a lot has changed but the real question then is-is "Santa" still there? Is it worth it to go visit this well kept secret of Norfolk? You darn right it is. (Tell me you
,won't be a merrier person leaving there in this Covid time.) Wish me luck
and YES-you will L-O-V-E it .Write back here and tell me if you agree read more