3 hours Ago
If the “Elves Only” entrance isn’t enough to tip off passersby, the twinkling lights in the window might do the trick — or perhaps the gold-lettered sign declaring “Lee’s Christmas Corner.” The shop celebrates the holidays year-round with a permanent Christmas section, though it also carries a wide range of gifts including home decor, toys, stationery, bags, food and more. “We get Christmas [shoppers] in all year.
We get people in who you can tell their focus of shopping is Christmas stuff,” said manager Travis Button. The shop, which opened in 2017, was the longtime dream of Frederick Lee, who founded Lee Newspapers Inc. and died last year.
He and his sister had run a Christmas shop in the community for a short time in the mid-1980s. “It had always been something he's wanted to do, so when he found out this building was available it just got him excited again,” said Lee’s daughter, Janet Stanley, who runs the shop. “It was his vision, his dream,” she added.
He asked her to help carry out the vision in part because of her love of interior design. “At that time I said, ‘Well, we’ve got to do more than a Christmas store,’ ” Stanley said. The spacious building, which was home to the Spraker Bank of Canajoharie in the late 1800s, holds much more than Christmas decor and holiday gifts.
“I wanted to build a shop that I used to like to go to when I was on a vacation. I always looked for shops like this, a place I could go and find some local souvenirs, things for my house, things for my kids, things to keep the kids happy when we had a rainy day and we were at the beach. I always would seek out places like this,” Stanley said.
But she kept her father’s vision of having a Christmas Corner. The shop attracts shoppers from around the world, something Lee was particularly proud of. “He was obsessed with the guestbook,” said Button, who was decked out in a red and green sweater with a Santa surrounded by swirling snowflakes and candy canes when The Gazette stopped by.
“He would want to read where everyone came from and he was very proud of that. And he would tell all of his friends we had visitors from Australia at the store.” Part of the draw this time of year is the substantial sections of holiday decorations, toys and more.
There’s a life-sized Santa, as well as a giant teddy bear posed near Christmas trees bearing an array of ornaments. Some of the gifts, including turned bowls and ornaments, are made by local vendors and artisans. The shop carries locally made replicas of the dummy traffic light that was once located just outside the Wagner Square shop.
When it comes to games and toys the shop leans into nostalgia, stocking kaleidoscopes, puzzles, games and whoopee cushions. It also features Melissa & Doug brand toys. “They're just good, wholesome, solid wooden toys that aren't going to break.
...
We try hard to focus on toys that take imagination,” Stanley said. Sweet tooth Lee’s Shops also keeps a steady supply of holiday candy. “We do get the old-fashioned Christmas candies.
We get the ribbon candy and we get the sponge candy,” Button said. Turkey Joints, hazelnut and chocolate candy created in Rome, New York, are a new addition this season. “We were hesitant to get into that because they're 20-something dollars a jar, but we made the decision.
People who know what they are want them and know that they're expensive. We went for it,” Button said. Over the years, perhaps the biggest challenge in running the place has been getting the message to customers that the shop is still open after Christmas.
“We do have Christmas all year but we focus that on the center of the main entrance area, and everything else we change up seasonally. So it's a gift shop for all reasons and all seasons,” Stanley said. The shop has also become something of a community hub.
“The village has adopted our store as a central [hub]. They send people here for the most random things, like an information booth,” Button said. Customers have asked for everything from directions to restaurant recommendations.
“We have to keep menus for all the local restaurants,” Button said. Stanley is the president of the local chamber of commerce, so the store gets chamber-related inquiries along with calls about the local food pantry and area eateries. “And we enjoy it.
We enjoy being the hub,” Stanley said. That’s especially true this time of year. “It's interesting, because I feel like in a lot of other retail situations you're dealing with grumpy people.
People don't come in here grumpy,” Button said. “People are looking to go Christmas shopping. They're with their friends.
...
So I would say 99% of our interactions with the public are positive and they're generally happy to be out shopping.” Lee’s Shops at Wagner Square is located at 24 Church St. in Canajoharie.
For information, visit theshopsatwagnersquare.myshopify.com .
Photo by Indiana Nash. Manager Travis Button and Janet Stanley. Photo by Indiana Nash.
Ornaments and other holiday decorations at Lee's Shops at Wager Square. Photo by Indiana Nash. A look inside the festive Lee's Shops at Wagner Square Photo by Indiana Nash.
The exterior of Lee's Shops at Wagner Square in mid-November. Photo by Indiana Nash. A look inside Lee's Shops at Wagner Square.
Photo by Indiana Nash. Part of the toy section of Lee's Shops at Wagner Square. Photo by Indiana Nash.
Giftware at Lee's Shops at Wagner Square. Photo by Indiana Nash. Charlie Bears for sale at Lee's Shops at Wagner Square.
Photo by Indiana Nash. Charlie Bears for sale at Lee's Shops at Wagner Square. Photo by Indiana Nash.
One of the decorative Santas dotting Lee's Shops at Wagner Square in Canajoharie..
