Thingamajigdoodadknicknack whatever you need… Schatz!

Thought you’d get a kick out of seeing that slogan once again.

We’re currently spoiled.  We have Staples and OfficeMax and Office Depot superstores for all our stationery needs.  But if you grew up in the Capital District in the 1960’s and 1970’s and 1980’s, there was only one stationery store chain worth frequenting.  That was Schatz Stationery.

The  first Schatz store opened in 1936, when William Schatz opened a card shop in downtown Albany. Ten years later, Henry Slutsky purchased the store; and in 1966, his son Robert Slutsky opened his first Schatz Stationery store – it was one of the first stores in Colonie Center, and not only did Robert Slutsky operate the store, he also purchased the name “Schatz Stationery” from his father for the mighty sum of one dollar.

Now the great thing about the Schatz stores was that you could get all your paper and pens, notebooks and binders, all at one location.  You could also get greeting cards and inflatable balloons and other treats – it was just like going to a Hallmark store today.

And it also had one of the coolest jingled in the world.  Forget the “twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameseedbun” jingle…  We had the classic “thingamajigdoodadknicknackwhateveryouneed… Schatz!”  Super-fun stuff.

For a while, Schatz also sold the perfect gift packaging item, especially if you wanted to keep that gift a secret.  You could actually by a sealable tin can from Schatz, put your gift item inside, and then have the tin can gift-wrapped or labeled.  Fun, fun stuff.  You don’t want your sweetie to find out until she opens the can that you bought her a strand of pearls?  Put it in a Schatz tin can.

Schatz thrived in Colonie Center, and then later added a store in Mohawk Mall.  You probably don’t remember Mohawk Mall, it was at the corner of State Street and Balltown Road, doing a brisk business under Schenectady’s 4% sales tax banner.  Eventually Schatz grew to as many as 29 different stores around the Capital District.

But on March 10, 1988, Schatz announced that the entire chain was to be sold to Summit Corp., a subsidiary of American Greetings.  That was nearly 25 years ago.

One of Schatz’ last remaining stores, a location on 50 North Pearl Street, is now a diner.  If you see the building today, you can make out that there used to be a “Schatz Stationery” sign above the entranceway, or at least you can determine the outline of years of acid rain that cut into the building’s concrete face.

Thought everyone would appreciate a walk down memory lane today.