I can't believe Spencer's Gifts is still around

Went in there recently with my nephew, it smelled like weed and body odor in there.

In my hometown's dying mall, the only stores left from when I was a kid are Bath & Body Works and Spencers.

I am still afraid to even being close to a Spencers because my best friend and I got kicked out for taking a set of glasses out of the box and spitting on them. No kidding. They had pictures of very 70s guys on them, and when you put a cold drink in them, their clothing would disappear. We thought if we got them wet, it would work. Turns out, no The mean lady manager caught us, called us gross and escorted us out of the store.

The embarrassment stays with me today.

R1 I remembered weed and patchouli!

R3 is Giuliana Rancic.

I loved Spencer's Gifts when I was a teenager, their merchandise was so trashy.

I looked up my childhood mall recently and Spencer's was the only business I'm sure was in operation there back in the 1980s. They might have been operating continuously in the same storefront? Possible.

When I was a baby gay in the 80s, I was FASCINATED with their Chippendales merchandise.

Chippendales was so "naughty" back then.

Was Over Our Heads on The Facts of Life supposed to be a Spencer's Gifts without the sex toys?

How on earth are they funding their business? There can't be that many bachelorette parties per week.

R9 Imagine Edna’s Edibles in 2022. They would be some good edibles!

I remember they had dirty greeting cards with this naked, grotesquely obese model named Bridget.

No trip to the mall was complete without going to Spencer's. Besides the risqué stuff, it was a head shop, too. Hard to find in the '80s.

For all your blacklight poster shopping needs!

Where I bought my 4' X 3' Kiss poster. Loved Spencers.

I’m still saddened that the history of the 1970’s version of the store seems to not exist on the internet at all. Orange and dark brown interiors, carpeted, with wood or brick fronts that often had a circular or angled doorway. The lighting was often low and pin-pointed in certain areas. The entire place smelled like incense at all times. The “adult” section had obnoxious signage “18 and over!” but anyone could oogle at coffee mugs shaped like boobs or naught board games. The “disco” light section in the back was separated by a beaded curtain and had black walls and black lights and felt like a more closed-in space where you could look at all the trippy light do-dads. The posters (many fuzzy black light ones) were back there too on a giant rack you could flip through. Goooood tiiiimes!

I could only find this photo of a 1987 version of the store which had changed up a bit, but was close.

The light room in the back

We used to get the catalogue when I was a child (I assume it's the same company). It was G-rated then. There were so many things I wanted, like the garden that came in a roll (we lived in an apartment), or the alabaster heart jewelry.

I don't think I've set foot inside a mall in over 10 years.

[quote]Went in there recently with my nephew, it smelled like weed and body odor in there.

Just like a room at Motel 6.

Worked at one in Tysons Corner in 1980. It had a basement type back store room and me and another guy would sneak off, make-up and do everything but actually fuck. He was a jock type who had gf. Great kisser. Wonder if he ever came out.

[quote] me and another guy would sneak off,

Oh, dear!

R21 Tyson's is one of the few malls that hasn't gone to seed. Still does great business.