Alexandria residents are saying goodbye to a toy store that’s operated for more than a half century.

The Why Not? toy store, a beloved boutique on King Street packed with stuffed animals, dolls and children’s books, will close its doors in February. It's a fixture of the Old Town community and has had “generations of customers,” said Jeanne Graef, its original owner.

Alexandria resident Kim Fazio described Why Not? as a “historical landmark,” as she shopped for toys with her son Marco.



“The store has been here since I was a little girl. We love this store,” she said. “We’d just like to see it stay longer.”

Another customer, Elizabeth Margosches, snapped a photo of the store, saying she hopes to show her grandson what he could have experienced.

Current owner Kate Schlabach said the store could no longer compete with online merchants.

“I’ve had people who come in, they take out their phone, they take a picture of the thing and not only that, but they order it while they’re standing in my store,” she said.

But many customers said they will miss the experience of shopping for toys in person in a small business.

“It’s part of the experience. It’s hard to bring my kid to a computer and pick out a book, share that time,” Alexandria resident John Keegans said. “You lose places like this, you lose some of the value of the experience.”

Schlabach said she understands that many customers are sad to see the business close.

“There’s not another store like this,” she said.

The head of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Stephanie Landrum, praised the shop as a success.

“There are very few businesses who have made it past five years, frankly,” she said. "To make it 50 years, they are an example for a lot of the independent boutiques here in Old Town.”

The owner of Why Not? said she is “sorry for everybody” that she is going.

“But I just have to and I hope everybody understands that. It’s time. It’s time,” she said.