SAN MARCOS, Texas — A beloved small business in downtown San Marcos plans to close its doors.
- Business has been open for 41 years
- Owner plan to focus on other passions
- Store has had several locations
After four decades in business, the quirky and unique store Paper Bear will close after the rush of the Christmas season is over.
When owner Carol Powers announced her plans to retire, she said customers flooded her with “Say it isn’t so!” type responses.
"I knew there'd be like a lot of upset people. Every time we'd answer the phone it was someone, 'No, say it isn't true.' And I didn't even know, people like in Austin and all the surrounding areas too are kind of being affected. So we're not happy about that," Powers said.
While Powers has loved running the business for 41 years now, she and her husband have now decided to focus on their other passions like music and gardening. A proper vacation is in the future too.
"He's really ready for a break, he's got his little trailer all fixed up ready to go. It hadn't gone out of the lot where he stores it. It's got solar panels on it, everything you put on a trailer, he's ready," Powers said. "Everybody that's come in, it's like, 'Oh my gosh I wish you well.' And yesterday three different ladies told me retirement's wonderful."
Looking back at the store's history, Powers said it involved a lot of growing pains, moving from location to location.
"When I graduated from UT and I went out and just tried to find a job and I couldn't get hired anywhere. So, that started the store," Power said. "It's always exciting to move. Yeah, when we got this new space here, people were going, 'You will never fill that space. Never.' And I was thinking maybe they're right. And then, boom, it's full."
The store is known for having all sorts of knickknacks, handmade jewelry, unique toys, and incense. To San Martians, it’s the hidden gem of downtown. If you visit, you may also notice a tortoiseshell cat roaming the aisles. That's Dia, and she's become quite the mascot for the store.
Photo of Dia the Paper Bear mascot (Stacy Rickard/Spectrum News)
"I guess the jewelry's really different. We make a lot of the things in here and try to keep it really interesting. And then probably just a little bit more popular than the jewelry is the toys," Powers said. "Oh my gosh, the kids when they come in, they get so excited."
It’s a shop that can’t be put into just one category.
“People would open the door, I mean, all day long. They'd open the door, walk in, and go, 'What kind of store is this?’ I guess we really don't label it," Powers said.
When asked what gets her out of bed each morning to come to Paper Bear, Powers said it's her love of retail.
"Everything I do in here is fun. The only thing I don't enjoy is a slow day and you have a few customers in, and you have a lot of work you need to do. But you're kind of tied down cause you want to be there for them if they need help," Powers said. "I love it. It's not really work. No, it's just like a playground and bringing in different things and stuff like that."
Customers have been flocking to the store to get their Christmas shopping done and stock up before next spring, when Powers plans to close.
"People have come in if they have a favorite oil that they like, or a favorite incense. It's just like, I walked over to the incense the other day and it was almost all gone. And the girls that work here have told me that yeah people just come in and they kind of scoop stuff off into their baskets," Powers said.
As for the future, Powers has had interest from the community.
“There's been a lot of talk about different people wanting maybe to take it over, or something. We were just going to kind of wait till after Christmas to start talking about that to see what might work out,” Powers said. "It's like everybody's concerned, they want it to keep going. So, maybe there'll be some other store here. It won't be quite the same but we're hoping."
But in the end, she wants San Marcos to know this…
"Well, we love you. And everything's gonna be okay. Everything will work out. And so, just keep the faith."