I was lucky.

I was lucky at times. As I look back on parts of my life I can also see how stupid I was on some things. A prime example on being more lucky than good was when I opened my first store.

I had met the owner of a hobby store in Jefferson City due to a friend from Kemper, (Leif). As I talked with him; he was great guy, a retired vet, he said he was thinking of opening another store. I told him he should open one in Columbia. He said he didn't know anything about Columbia. I told him, yeah but I did. So we became partners.

I opened TPS Games Crafts and Hobbies in October of 1989 at 27 North 10th Street. I had always known that if I had ever opened a store in Columbia it would be in 'North Village.' In the early 70's on KRCG TV out of Jefferson City, on Saturday nights at 11:15, after only 15 minutes of news and Star Trek episode, there would be Tales of Terror. A local horror show hosted by one of the anchors (which I didn't know til 30 years later when he retired and they posted it). They would show old horror shows like The Creature from the Black Lagoon. But their sponsors were stores from North Village in Columbia. North Village Sub Shop, Aardvarks, Cork and Dart Pub, The Nostalgia Shop are just a few I remember. When I got to Columbia, I realized that area was where the '60's rejects' were. My name for the hippie culture. Not bad people, just usually different ideas. At the time it still had that feel. It was a small community within the downtown.

Anyway, I got the store front and we moved stock and some shelving in. My first counter was an old counter that had been left there by the previous business. It wasn't exactly the most solid or level, but it would do. As time went on, I fixed the store up. I laid new carpet, as the old carpet was frayed and there were tile sections so it was exactly uniform. I took out some walls to a storeroom that was weirdly constructed to open up a bit more space, put peg boards up and some direct lightening. Had new shelving made and a dam near bomb proof "L" front counter on wheels. Luckily I had friends who knew how to build and helped me. One thing; I did all of this without checking with my landlord. I don't know if I could or couldn't, I just did it. The old adage of its easier to ask forgiveness that ask permission was well into play. Luckily nothing bad came of it. I don't know if the landlord knew or care. Or maybe I impressed him with who I was and how I ran a business. Probably a combination of all of that. I had no store experience but knew what I liked and how I wanted to be treated. I tried all kind of advertising, and I know I did things that business owners and professionals would look at me in aghast. And that's ok. At the time, for me, it worked.  I loved that store and definitely put blood, sweat, tears and money into it. That a big regret I have when I sold it to my manager.

when I bought out my partner I changed the name to The Cheshire Cat. There's a story there too. When I was at Kemper... yeah get used to that phrase, during my first year, there was store in Boonville called The Cheshire Cat. It was a small book store that also carried some Avalon Hill games. A beautiful little store. On one of the front doors they had even a glass etching of the Cheshire Cat. I remember that so well, as that was where I would go on the few occasions I left campus. It only lasted a year or so but impressed me that I knew that I would call my store that if I ever opened one.

So years later, I have my store. Then I sold it and all the crap happened in my life. At one time in the Columbia Mall there was an independent book store called Columbia Books. They eventually moved out of the mall and down town. I re-opened The Cheshire Cat during my second marriage on 126 South 9th Street. I knew a lot of the people working at Columbia Books as I loved books and that store. So I was talking with one of the ladies in there and mentioned I was re-opening my store, The Cheshire Cat. She said there was an older lady that worked in the store that had a shop in Boonville called The Cheshire Cat a long time ago. I told her that was where I came up with the name! I got to meet her and tell her how much I loved her store and why I had named my store that. She was a lovely lady. A few years later she passed away I am sorry to say. I was so glad to be able to tell her why I named my store and to meet her and I know that The Cheshire Cat's name lives on with many of my former customers. That legacy I am very proud of!