Landmark store's possible closing is no laughing matter to loyal customers who have sought out its costumes, and prank and novelty items, for decades
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A well-known novelty and costume shop is selling the last of its fake vomit, whoopee cushions, plastic bugs and masks.But what the future looks like for Yankee Trader is up in the air.
"We might move. We don't know yet," said Lynette Howard, who co-owns the store with her sister Debby Williams.
The two inherited the store at 463 N. High St., across from the Greater Columbus Convention Center, 10 years ago from their late mother, Edith Holler. It has been a landmark there for 44 years and was on Front Street for 20 years before that.
Customers have noticed far less on the shelves recently.
Williams said they hope to sell the 55,000-square-foot building and move to a smaller place with better parking.
Howard said she hopes that happens before she and her sister have to restock the Halloween costumes, six kinds of fake poop, party supplies and other novelty-shop staples.
"With the economy being as bad as it is, we're just not sure what we're going to do," Howard said.
When the property was first listed in 2008, broker CB Richard Ellis thought the prime real estate would be ideal for a "boutique" hotel.
But no one has been interested, Williams said.
The listing has expired since then, said Doug Goddard, senior vice president of CB Richard Ellis.
Still, Howard said she plans to sell the building, not the business. Williams said sales are down, mostly because of online shopping and a bad economy. The store cut its hours in the winter, she said.
"It's almost like a Columbus landmark," said North Side resident Kevin Lee, who scanned the store's emptying shelves yesterday and stocked up on rainbow-colored beads, squishy bugs and other trinkets.
If Yankee Trader closes, "I'd probably have to go online," Lee said.
Employees have resorted to handing customers another store's business card when they know something isn't in stock.
The business cards belong to Sue Foltz, who owns CAP Party Supplies at 1511 S. High St. with her husband, Don.
Foltz said she's been friendly with Williams and Howard for years and refers customers there, too, because both shops sell party supplies and prank items.
"We do a lot of business in balloons" and Yankee Trader doesn't anymore, she said.
Foltz said it's hard to find party shops that carry both traditional party supplies and prank products.
Joyce Birden, who regularly dresses up as a clown to entertain, said she goes to Yankee Trader for all her face paint, funky hats and stickers.
And if the building sells?
"I'd just follow them," said Birden, a South Side resident.
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