A
frequent topic on local social media deals with people’s favorite stores
in the past and so today we’ll take a look at two of them. For those who
grew up in Willimantic prior to the mid-70s, there were two stores that,
more than most, were fascinating to youngsters, Joe’s Key Way and the
Surplus Center. Joseph and Helen Paquette from Canterbury ran Joe’s Key
Way and the shop was usually referred to as “Joe Keyway’s”, sometimes
with Helen being referred to as “Mrs. Keyway” (today’s photo). Joe was a
talented locksmith and it was said that he could easily open safes
without combinations. He had a policy of not wanting to know what was in
a safe and was happy to just do his work, get paid and leave. He was
also excellent at clock repair and the store sold mantel clocks. He was
often busy cutting keys or working in the back room and so Helen stayed
in the store. Joe’s Key Way, had something for everyone. Joe and Helen
didn’t seem to mind if young people spent a great deal of time in the
store looking at merchandise and asking questions. In the merchandise
packed store, crafters could find molds, wax and scents for candle
making, gimp (plastic lacing cord) with which to make bracelets and
necklaces, wire and resin for plastic flowers (the wire was looped and
dipped into the resin to form petals), geode rocks, Matchbox cars and
trucks, Roco HO trains and military vehicles and tanks, and thousands of
Revell model planes, boats and cars. There were Daisy air rifles and
archery equipment, radio controlled airplanes, prank items such as
cigarette “loads”, hand buzzers and smoke bombs. Joe had a collection of
bells of all shapes, sizes and materials from all over the world and he
was often asked to discuss them at meetings of local clubs and
organizations. Joe made headlines in 1974 when he surprised two armed
burglars in his home in Canterbury and “shot it out” with them.
Fortunately, he received only a flesh wound. For a short time, the
original clock from the Willimantic Savings Institute stood on the
Paquette’s front lawn. As young people grew older, the Surplus Center
became more attractive. The Surplus Center was begun by Sam Gordon in
1947 and was described as, “an
eclectic retail emporium and a magnet for Main Street shoppers”. Sam
started out selling fatigues, Army blankets and chinos, but soon after,
he added sporting goods, including guns and ammo, work clothes and
boots, hardware, paint, sneakers, garden tools, toilet paper, and for a
time, even toys. For many Willi youth, Surplus Center was the “go
to” store for clothes, especially jeans, “buffalo sandals”, painters
pants and the fatigues”. Coin and stamp collectors found a huge array of
each. Several people who had worked there described it as a great place
to work and said Sam was a wonderful boss. He had a strong work ethic
and his feeling was, “Work hard - There is ALWAYS something that needs
to be done". The Surplus Center also sold guns. One of Sam’s 1957
newspaper ads would certainly raise eyebrows today. In large, bold
letters it said, “GUN BUGS! GUN NUTS! …. We’re having an old fashioned
Gun Trading Night. Throw ‘em on the table, tag ‘em, the price or deal
you want”. Eventually, the gun sales at Surplus Center made Sam
unpopular with local and state police even though nothing he did was
illegal. Police Chief Philip Rose said that the sales were, “within the
law” but had called Gordon’s attention to the fact that, “many times,
guns used in the commission of crimes had been purchased at his store”.
Rose went on to say how many out-of-state people purchase guns there. A
Superior Court judge also expressed concern about handgun sales. Sam’s
real problem, though, stemmed from the many gun thefts from his store.
In 1981, he installed sheet metal overhead doors in front of the store
and this drew the wrath of the Redevelopment Agency from which approval
was necessary. The doors were said to be “unattractive and gave the Main
Street area an image of abundant crime”. Overall, however, the Surplus
Center and Sam Gordon himself, are the source of wonderful memories. Sam
also opened another Main
Street business, Office Furniture Warehouse, which sold used equipment.
He retired in 2000 and donated his building to the Windham Area
Interfaith Ministry.
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