Anybody remember The Nature Company?

[aric]

So, anybody remember this chain of stores? My local branch had music going and the atmosphere of the place was New Age-ish. I really liked it. I got a few things there over the years.

Anyway, in late spring of 1996, The Nature Company was bought out by the Discovery Channel. It is now the Discovery Channel Store. There aren't any branches of it here. I browsed the new website and found lots of cool stuff. However, it didn't have the feel of the Nature Company. While it still catered to learning and stuff, it didn't cover the spiritual lifestyle aspects that The Nature Company did. I'm beginning to really miss the Nature Company. So much so that I'm keeping some of their old seasonal catalogues for nostalgic purposes. I still look through them and look at the products and pretend that I'm walking through the store.

So, anyone else remember The Nature Company?

- Aric

EDIT - For those of you who are curious, here's the site:
Discovery Channel Store

[Vorchia]

I'm afraid neither shop has made it to The Netherlands though I sure wouldn't mind... We don't have a European equivalent either, I suppose there's just not enough interest over here to maintain such a shop. I have seen one in the U.S. though, a Discovery channel shop that is.

[Azonthus]

I remember it. If I recall correctly, they had lots of cool gadgets, but were overpriced. I never bought anything there. I'll tell you a store that closed out that I loved as a kid, Childrens Palace. It was a toy store designed like a castle and they gave away free My Little Ponies once a year! How much better could a store get?

[RedFeather]

Ah, I'd never realized that DC had bought them out. Although I like DC stores. But I liked the Nature Co. stores, too. Too bad we can't have both.

[aric]

Yeah, it'd be great if both were available. However, I get the impression that the corporate board of DC won't let that happen. A shame too. The Nature Company does things and meets needs that the DCS lacks. The afore mentioned spirituality being one of them.

I'd be happy if they resurrect a small-ish TNC store here. Aside from having one of my stores back, it would fill a void created by the lack of a DCS store here at all. Sheesh.

- Aric

[rusty]

I loved it! We had a TNC store in the local mall, and then they did the famous re-shuffle (they're always doing that!) and TNC moved away. The nearest DCS is in King of Prussia, PA, or Towson, MD...dunno...

Both of them are about 45 mins away, s needless to say, I don't get there often.

[GreySpectrum]

I loved that store. I'm sorry to hear about them being bought out. I guess I'll just have to go to the Discovery store from now on.

[gartho009]

Ahh, The Nature Company! There used to be one in my local mall, and whenever I was with my mom I'd always drag her in there. It was right next to the chocolate store; quite convenient. But yes, I remember it vividly. There was that combo of ocean sounds and organ music, and there were lots of books, and expensive resin figurines galore. I bought a few trilobite fossils there, and I remember that they had a cast of a smilodon skull for sale that was far out of my price range. Or my mom's, as I wasn't at an age where I had any money of my own. Yes, that was a lovely store. My branch closed before it got bought out, and I was very sad when that happened.