KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The New Dime Store, a staple in the Brookside neighborhood known for its nostalgic atmosphere and wide array of merchandise, will not reopen following a December fire that destroyed its inventory, the store owner said.
In a Facebook post Sunday, owner Kimberly Harris said she had made the decision to close the shop permanently.
“I know there has been a long and rich history of this charming store, and I am saddened not to be able to continue its legacy,” Harris wrote in the post.
Harris and her husband purchased the store, which has been part of the Brookside shopping area since 1939, in 2011. In the days before Christmas, a fire forced Harris to close the store following a difficult year that saw sales already down 30% due to the pandemic.
In her post, Harris said the loss of her husband in October, followed by the fire two months later, led to the “difficult decision” to close the store.
Many had rallied around the store after the fire, contributing to aGoFundMe page to raise funds for its reopening. Harris said some people even “literally dropped envelopes of cash” off at the store.
“This was a staggering show of support, that could probably only happen in Brookside,” Harris said, noting that she will be working to return donations made personally and through the GoFundMe page.
She added that her future is not clear right now, but customers "may see me in the future in a new store."
