Today I was in a part of town I never have before.
I saw a store JUST for badminton.
In Turkey we have shops that only sell pickles!
I could be into that. A good pickle is something to behold.
There used to be a store in my town called “Just Socks” that sold, just socks
If there’s still one around somewhere, should open up a competitor across the street that deals only in cheap counterfeits of the brands they sell and call it Unjust Socks.
I had to go to a store that only sells custom made stirrups as my kid needed some for their horse. I was absolutely overwhelmed about how many differences there are about them. Kid was happy.
there’s a store in seattle called The Purple Store that only sells purple stuff!!!
Batteries + Bulbs.
They sold nothing but batteries and lightbulbs.
I went there once because I needed a specific type of light bulb. But it wasn’t in their inventory. So I don’t even think of that place anymore when I need bulbs. Anyway they’re rather small stores. How could they possibly stock all the millions of varieties of those two specific things? Spoiler: they don’t.
I never went in for bulbs, but they certainly had a wide range of batteries. They were more reliable than Walmart or other places when I would need a random button style battery, like a CMOS or watch battery.
I don’t know about yours but I had a very similar store near me years ago, which was exclusively batteries but then eventually expanded into bulbs as well.
It’s not super specific, and makes sense for where I saw it, but I’ll never forget the Wisconsin tourist trap I drove past as a kid that has a big sign out front advertising “Cameras, Cheese and Guns”.
I have seen lots of niche stores, but what usually gets me is that they’re in very premium locations. How is that empty Custom Umbrella Emporium still open while the packed coffee shop next door can’t afford their lease?
Tap for spoiler
Money laundering, probably
Tennis rackets and Kites
I have been in a shop only for set equipment for cooking book pictures
Me too. In Japan.
Mixed tape store. This was like 12 years ago, long after streaming was a thing. A buddy of mine went in and asked if they sold CDs and the guy legit said, “No. Just mixed tapes.” Pretty sure it was a front for something.
There’s a small town I drive through frequently that, for many years, had a Christmas shop. It was always open, usually empty. It closed down last year.
Disc Golf Mart in Columbus, Ohio.
Oh that reminds me of a spot in Connecticut I think. It was a headshop down stairs and discgolf shop upstairs. With a sometimes skate shop in a room next to the discgolf stuff.
Probably Pop Mart. A three-story shop filled with nothing but these odd little collectible toys of cartoon characters. It was absolutely mobbed.
Kite store in Chicago (it’s really not that windy there, really)
90’s throwback. Of note - Stacks of Slax and the Bolt Bloke.
