STANS
STANS
Our red and yellow STANS neon, sans apostrophe for all you English majors, first pointed at Stanley Simon’s grocery store at 6700 Kaw Drive in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1955. Previously located on Quindaro Boulevard, and where Stan took over its operation from his father, the store now needed a bold new neon sign to make its presence known.
Stan’s Market prospered until a fire destroyed it in 1962. In the fire, Stan’s inventory of 50,000 shotgun shells exploded, ruining the building. When rebuilding, Stan purchased the adjoining land and building, expanding his business into a “center” of sorts. Stan opened a dry goods store which later became an Ace Hardware, as well as a restaurant, bar and gas station. In 2004, a year before his passing, Stanley and daughter Lori Siegel opened a thrift store aptly named A-Lotta-Stuff.
A-Lotta-Stuff was more than just a lot of stuff. Its vast collection of chandeliers, wedding dresses, bookcases, tablecloths, candleholders, fine china, walkers, picture frames and sundry knickknacks was a time capsule of local history, smile-worthy home decorating trends, and memories of past lives.
Lori obtained much of her inventory through a separate service she offered, helping families clean out the homes of deceased family members. For a few days or a few weeks, she became very involved in the lives and histories of the families she served. There are many stories of the occasional rare find among the unwanted junk or clutter.
Customers at A-Lotta-Stuff loved searching for a new-to-them treasure while reminiscing about shopping at STANS. Over the door, the picture Lori kept of her parents never failed to elicit a smile, a comment and a memory of Stanley or past finds.
Before closing A-Lotta-Stuff in August 2023, Lori graciously donated her beloved STANS sign to LUMI. While she takes comfort knowing an important piece of Kansas City history and her father’s legacy will shine on, LUMI is thrilled to share its story.
Our red and yellow STANS neon, sans apostrophe for all you English majors, first pointed at Stanley Simon’s grocery store at 6700 Kaw Drive in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1955. Previously located on Quindaro Boulevard, and where Stan took over its operation from his father, the store now needed a bold new neon sign to make its presence known.
Stan’s Market prospered until a fire destroyed it in 1962. In the fire, Stan’s inventory of 50,000 shotgun shells exploded, ruining the building. When rebuilding, Stan purchased the adjoining land and building, expanding his business into a “center” of sorts. Stan opened a dry goods store which later became an Ace Hardware, as well as a restaurant, bar and gas station. In 2004, a year before his passing, Stanley and daughter Lori Siegel opened a thrift store aptly named A-Lotta-Stuff.
A-Lotta-Stuff was more than just a lot of stuff. Its vast collection of chandeliers, wedding dresses, bookcases, tablecloths, candleholders, fine china, walkers, picture frames and sundry knickknacks was a time capsule of local history, smile-worthy home decorating trends, and memories of past lives.
Lori obtained much of her inventory through a separate service she offered, helping families clean out the homes of deceased family members. For a few days or a few weeks, she became very involved in the lives and histories of the families she served. There are many stories of the occasional rare find among the unwanted junk or clutter.
Customers at A-Lotta-Stuff loved searching for a new-to-them treasure while reminiscing about shopping at STANS. Over the door, the picture Lori kept of her parents never failed to elicit a smile, a comment and a memory of Stanley or past finds.
Before closing A-Lotta-Stuff in August 2023, Lori graciously donated her beloved STANS sign to LUMI. While she takes comfort knowing an important piece of Kansas City history and her father’s legacy will shine on, LUMI is thrilled to share its story.