Spirit of Chirstmas Past- A Fonk By Any Other Name Is Still A Fonk

I was in the first grade the first time that my mother went to work at Fonk's Five and Dime. The store was managed and owned at that time by a lady named Mary Falls.  Mary was a very nice person if you were on her good side, but wow, she could be a little frightening if she did not like you.

Mom went to work the first time to make extra money for the upcoming Christmas season. Fonks had everything in that store. There was candy, roller skate keys, toys, fabric, sewing supplies, lamps, souvenirs, electrical supplies, hammers, nails, tape, miniature plastic soldiers and cowboys, and just about anything else that one could want.

I loved going  in there. As a matter of fact, I did all of my Christmas shopping in there when I was in grade school. Later on Mary sold Fonks. She offered to sell it to my parents, by they decided not to buy it. They kicked themselves over and over in later years for not buying it. Mom loved that store and she continued to work there under  the new owners for quite a few years.

The building that Fonks was in was originally a butcher shop and a theater. (Not at the same time) If I had millions and millions of dollars I would buy up most of Wallace and start all the old businesses up again. Tourists? Humbug. Wallace is a mining town, not a tourist pit. Oh, the good old days.