"Everything Must Go" - Norman's Juvenile Furniture is Closing

Sad news from Two Street: Norman's Juvenile Furniture is going out of business.

"Everything Must Go" after 60 years on Two Street

Situated on the corner of Second and Watkins Streets, Norman's has been in business since 1953 - almost 60 years. In talking with owner Jim Pratt, who has been with Norman's around 45 years and took over the business from his father, the tanking economy and difficulties with suppliers made the past year and a half a trying time at the shop.

"It was nuts," he explained. "I would place an order and track it's progress and dates would just keep being pushed back." Larger stores like Target and Walmart combined with the ease of buying childcare products online also meant an uphill battle. It often meant his orders were easily pushed back. "It's much different that it used to be. Now they just want to keep the big guys happy."

The good news is that Jim wants to see something become of the large corner property that housed a few grocery stores back in the day. "We were originally across the street (corner of 2nd and Pierce Sts.) and this used to be an ACME," he said. "Believe it or not, these few blocks were mainly storefronts but things change."

Yup, things change and it's certainly sad to see Norman's close up shop. Look for them to be open "about a week or so" before they officially put 60 years in the rear view mirror. In the meantime, everything is priced to sell and if you're in the market for children's furniture and products, you'll be hard pressed to find a better deal.

Here's a look at what is left:

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If you've ever walked past Norman's, the first thing that stands out is the size of the building. It's quite large for Two Street. Checking in at around 5,600 sq. ft - this could be a really nice spot for someone looking to hang out their shingle. A few things that come to mind: a daycare, children's gym, or even a smaller music venue in the mold of Boot & Saddle. Given that it's zoned a CMX-2 (commercial/mixed-use), future plans could theoretically include a housing element as well. That is simply my opinion, although Jim did mention he's had a bunch of interest in the property.  

My two cents, keep a close eye on this building.