12/20/14 Stop By Hixson's Recapture That Christmas Feeling!
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 8:41 am
Final Christmas weekend of the year always finds me making my second trip through Lakewood
for those special gifts. I know we all hit Lakewood shops first, but so often I find it best to
go through them again to find what you can find nowhere else. Lion and Blue, Breakneck
Galleries, GV Art and on and on, but the must-stop is always Hixson's. Lakewood Fireman
Matt Burke came up with the idea to stop in Hixson's on December 20, as it is the last
crazy day of shopping, and it is a time when people need to remember what it is all about.
He asked how do you do one of those shopping things, "You know where the people come
to a store and shop, I love Hixson's we need to tell more to check it out." Well we both
agreed that "Cash Mobs" are long gone, thank god! But why don't we just tell those we know
what it means to us. Which is why I wrote the story in the latest Observer. Here are some
parts and a link to the full story with 30 photos.
Shop Hixson’s December 20 And Recapture Christmas,
In Ohio, “Mr Christmas” Works In Lakewood
Hixson's-- a Lakewood tradition for over 60 years! 14125 Detroit Avenue,
Hours: Daily 10am - 9pm, Sat. 10am - 6pm, Sun. 12pm - 5pm.
This December 20th, please take the time to immerse yourself in a real Christmas Cleveland Tradition, stopping by Hixson’s Flower Barn, at 14125 Detroit Avenue, and walk through the store, see the historic displays that go back even further than the store which has been located in this location for over 60 years. Bill Hixson has been a friend of my family, both sides, for longer than the store has been open. Actually it was a relative that helped him get the building, when the truck, horse carriage car wash was closing. Shortly after opening he was joined by his longtime friend and partner Eunice who has kept the store running strong and pure to itself for a half of a century. I swear some of the things from opening day are still on the shelves, though so many great memories for everyone that has shopped there flow over the counters at a rapid pace. It is just a perfect place to soak up the holidays, and to bring the wee ones for memories only a grandparent can lay down. “X-Box, huh, Bobby when I was your age, all we had to play with was one of these…” Bobby is not moved at the moment, but when he is dragging Bobby junior to the second power around the space mall, saying the same thing, he will remember that day and smile.
Eunice, Bill's partner and sidekick for most of the 60 years, working the register.
Christmas in the end is about the memories. Moments are fleeting, but memories, good, bad stay with us for a long long time. Walking through Hixson’s is just good for the soul, especially around Christmas. I mean he has a massive Easter Egg Collection at Easter that is worth seeing, he has great art shows throughout the year, especially when he brings out his gorgeous collection of Japanese Art prints. One of the best private collections I have seen. But Christmas, Christmas is his gig. He has the largest selection of quality ornaments I have seen outside of Frankenmuth, Michigan. Different each year, with a few stragglers from the years before, which is reason enough to stop during the holidays, thousands of ornaments. But the best way to explain it is how it happened.
Bill pulling a "Banksy", tagging another ornament!
I was shopping for some last minute stocking stuffers decades ago. As Bill Hixson was friends with my grandparents, he was not on my short list of, “Oh hey let’s go see Bill Hixson…” even when I was in my 30s. I mean let’s be honest rock candy and knick knacks, or scotch and clubs, it just seems to all fall by the wayside.
Bill has been responsible for decorating White House Christmas trees since Reagan was elected.
Here he is with Hillary Clinton after decorating the White House Tree for the Clintons.
So I stop into Hixson’s to get a special ornament for our tree. We have a nice collection of
Read the rest of the story on our front page:
http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/
Or go directly to the story!
http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/read/2014/12/09/shop-hixsons-december-20-and-recapture-christmas-in-ohio-mr
Shop local, shop with your heart and on December 20th stop by Hixson's with the family
and enjoy what has made so many people's lives more festive again.
.
for those special gifts. I know we all hit Lakewood shops first, but so often I find it best to
go through them again to find what you can find nowhere else. Lion and Blue, Breakneck
Galleries, GV Art and on and on, but the must-stop is always Hixson's. Lakewood Fireman
Matt Burke came up with the idea to stop in Hixson's on December 20, as it is the last
crazy day of shopping, and it is a time when people need to remember what it is all about.
He asked how do you do one of those shopping things, "You know where the people come
to a store and shop, I love Hixson's we need to tell more to check it out." Well we both
agreed that "Cash Mobs" are long gone, thank god! But why don't we just tell those we know
what it means to us. Which is why I wrote the story in the latest Observer. Here are some
parts and a link to the full story with 30 photos.
Shop Hixson’s December 20 And Recapture Christmas,
In Ohio, “Mr Christmas” Works In Lakewood
Hixson's-- a Lakewood tradition for over 60 years! 14125 Detroit Avenue,
Hours: Daily 10am - 9pm, Sat. 10am - 6pm, Sun. 12pm - 5pm.
This December 20th, please take the time to immerse yourself in a real Christmas Cleveland Tradition, stopping by Hixson’s Flower Barn, at 14125 Detroit Avenue, and walk through the store, see the historic displays that go back even further than the store which has been located in this location for over 60 years. Bill Hixson has been a friend of my family, both sides, for longer than the store has been open. Actually it was a relative that helped him get the building, when the truck, horse carriage car wash was closing. Shortly after opening he was joined by his longtime friend and partner Eunice who has kept the store running strong and pure to itself for a half of a century. I swear some of the things from opening day are still on the shelves, though so many great memories for everyone that has shopped there flow over the counters at a rapid pace. It is just a perfect place to soak up the holidays, and to bring the wee ones for memories only a grandparent can lay down. “X-Box, huh, Bobby when I was your age, all we had to play with was one of these…” Bobby is not moved at the moment, but when he is dragging Bobby junior to the second power around the space mall, saying the same thing, he will remember that day and smile.
Eunice, Bill's partner and sidekick for most of the 60 years, working the register.
Christmas in the end is about the memories. Moments are fleeting, but memories, good, bad stay with us for a long long time. Walking through Hixson’s is just good for the soul, especially around Christmas. I mean he has a massive Easter Egg Collection at Easter that is worth seeing, he has great art shows throughout the year, especially when he brings out his gorgeous collection of Japanese Art prints. One of the best private collections I have seen. But Christmas, Christmas is his gig. He has the largest selection of quality ornaments I have seen outside of Frankenmuth, Michigan. Different each year, with a few stragglers from the years before, which is reason enough to stop during the holidays, thousands of ornaments. But the best way to explain it is how it happened.
Bill pulling a "Banksy", tagging another ornament!
I was shopping for some last minute stocking stuffers decades ago. As Bill Hixson was friends with my grandparents, he was not on my short list of, “Oh hey let’s go see Bill Hixson…” even when I was in my 30s. I mean let’s be honest rock candy and knick knacks, or scotch and clubs, it just seems to all fall by the wayside.
Bill has been responsible for decorating White House Christmas trees since Reagan was elected.
Here he is with Hillary Clinton after decorating the White House Tree for the Clintons.
So I stop into Hixson’s to get a special ornament for our tree. We have a nice collection of
Read the rest of the story on our front page:
http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/
Or go directly to the story!
http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/read/2014/12/09/shop-hixsons-december-20-and-recapture-christmas-in-ohio-mr
Shop local, shop with your heart and on December 20th stop by Hixson's with the family
and enjoy what has made so many people's lives more festive again.
.