The Vermont Country Store Online Store: A Blast from the Past

Full Review
As usual, I got it into my head that my son had to have THE perfect birthday gift, which was a Bozo Bop Bag that I had as a child. All the regular online outlets were out of stock, but a search through Google showed me that I could get one online at The Vermont Country Store Online Store.

~&~ The Basics ~&~

The Vermont Country Store Online Store is the online version of actual retail outlets in Vermont. Known as a sort of modern-day general store, The Vermont Country Store Online Store and its catalog counterpart are almost like a link to the past for those of us who don't live near one of the retail outlets. From long underwear to old-time candy, The Vermont Country Store Online Store promises to live up to its tagline as "Purveyors of the Practical and Hard-To-Find."

A quick visit to their home page shows featured items such as Lava Soap, Eclipse Coffee Syrup (which up until now I'd only seen on FoodNetwork's Food Finds), and 50s-era aluminum tumblers that I swear my grandmother still had in her cupboards when I was little.

The site navigation is easy to manage, even if the pages do seem a bit crowded with information, and The Vermont Country Store Online Store has an easy system of breaking products down into logical departments, such as "Apothecary" and "Toys, Games, and Crafts." A quick glance above at the "Specialty Shops" section has a link to my dangerous area, "Brands from the Past" which includes Charms Lollipops, Charles Chips (in the can!!!), Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific shampoo, and Teaberry gum. I just realized I'm starting to sound like my grandfather with all my reminiscing.

~&~ What I Bought ~&~

I was really good and only ordered what I went there for, which was the Bozo Bop Bag. At $19.95, it was slightly more expensive than some of the other online stores, but, as I needed it quickly, and this was the only online store that had it in stock, I ordered it. Payment can be made using Visa, MasterCard, or Discover, and several shipping options are available via the United States Postal Service and FedEx.

Soon after placing my order, I received online confirmation of my order, complete with an order number and a link for tracking the order through their shipping process. I placed my order on a Friday, and it shipped out via US Mail the following Monday, arriving approximately three days later (I live in New York State).

~&~ Other Information ~&~

The Vermont Country Store Online Store has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. A link on the site leads you to their "Customer Bill of Rights" and you really get the idea that this store really wants you to be happy with your purchase.

Ordering from The Vermont Country Store Online Store will automatically add you to their mailing list, unless you choose to opt out, and their catalog is a veritable walk through the past. My husband and I spent about 30 minutes going through the products and exclaiming that we didn't know things were still available. I'm sure I'll be ordering from them again, most likely for my father's birthday, since he is even worse than I am at wanting things back the way they were.

::: Update December 2004 :::

Oddly enough, I ended up doing quite a bit of Christmas shopping online with The Vermont Country Store Online Store this year. Not only did I find the exact Lanz nightgown that my mother had when I was little, but also a set of Santa face mugs that my grandmother had, and I'd planned on getting for my father this year, only to find that Restoration Hardware was sold out. A bonus was a slicer for my husband that cost $8.00. He's been begging for a slicer, but they all seemed overly expensive for something that just slices vegetables. Leave it to the Purveyros of Practical to have an affordable one.