When the Old Market was in its infancy, Lucile Schaaf, an entrepreneur and architectural salvager, took a chance by opening what would become a long-running holiday store in the mostly vacant district.
After purchasing the one-story brick building at the southwest corner of 10th and Howard Streets, she laid the bricks in the walkway out front and even installed an architectural remnant that still stands today. Not content to stop there, she went so far as to install a marble lavatory and shag carpet remnants on the walls and ceiling in the powder room.
Commonly referred to as the “Christmas Lady,” she opened her shop—named The Place—at 1007 Howard Street in 1968. From her store she sold assorted gifts, collectibles, Christmas ornaments, decorations, trim, and other items. Lucile retired in 1985, at which point she rented the store to Janet Banker who along with her husband Paul and his co-worker Bob Pribyl named it Tannenbaum. In 1995 Janet retired and sold the business to Jeff Jorgensen and Joe Montello.
While the store primarily focused on Christmas decorations—of which it had thousands—it also offered decorations for other holidays, including Halloween, which grew in popularity over the years. It sold candles, bath oils and lotions, handmade stained glass, china, puzzles, and stuffed animals. Already popular in the Old Market, the attention it received in 1993 after donating a 12-foot artificial tree for display in the foyer of the governor’s mansion—didn’t hurt.
Celebrating the Christmas season for nearly 60 years, the store remains as popular as ever. Its busy season begins around the College World Series, when tens of thousands of fans head downtown to cheer on their favorite teams. While there, many make their way to the Old Market. Business continues to build through the fall and peaks during Thanksgiving weekend. Although activity slows after the New Year, the store remains open year-round.
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